Saving Sodor
by Dreamer Boy
Summary: While the Fat Controller has gone away for a while, Diesel 10 returns to Sodor, putting the engines in great peril. It's up to Thomas to stop him and prove himself to be a really useful engine.
1. Welcome To Sodor

**The first chapter of my first story on here.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. It is owned by HIT Entertainment.**

* * *

On a remote island located between England and the Isle of Man, exists a well-known, hard-working railway.

This island, known as 'Sodor', is where many visitors come in the Summer. First, holiday-makers, and then the people who are suggested to visit the Island and experience its unique beauty.

Work never ceases on Sodor. Most of it is carried out by its large railway network. A lot of hard work is carried out by the large fleet of engines that live on the railway. These engines carry out the many tasks they are assigned, under the watchful eye of Sir Topham Hatt, a stout man who is the head of the railway. Due to being in corntrol of the railway and his notable size, Sir Topham Hatt is better known by his nickname 'The Fat Controller'.

He makes sure that all his engines complete their jobs on time. Although there are time when a mishap occurs during their journeys, the engines nearly always complete their tasks on time, which makes them proud, especially when the Fat Controller complements them, by telling them that they are 'really useful engines'.

One Summer's afternoon, one of the many engines was puffing along one of the branch lines on the railway, pulling two brown passenger coaches. This engine was an E2 Class 0-6-0 tank engine. He was a shiny blue colour, with very thin red stripes, which sparkled in the summer sun. On each side of his boiler was a number '1' painted in yellow with a red border.

This engine was well-known on the railway. Everyone knew this engine's name was Thomas. And because he was a tank engine, he won the title 'Thomas the Tank Engine'.

Thomas was chuffing happily along the branch line, which happened to belong to him. He had been given this branch line by the Fat Controller for being really useful. The coaches he was pulling, who were called Annie and Clarabel, belonged to him too. They were full of passengers as Thomas pulled them happily along the line. He was singing cheerfully to them;

"_I am Thomas the Tank Engine,_

_Puffing happily down this track,_

_Annie follows close behind,_

_And Clarabel is at the back!"_

Presently, Thomas approached a station. He started to slow down. He puffed into the station, and slowed to a stop, right beside the platform.

"Peep! Peep!" Thomas whistled happily. Annie and Clarabel's doors opened, as many passengers got out and onto the station platform, and left the station to go to the village of Elsbridge.

Thomas noticed that two other engines were at the station on the other lines, by the other platforms. One of them was a small 0-4-0 saddle tank engine, painted green with thin red stripes, and had a small brass dome. He had a number '6' painted each side of his bunker, and three milk tankers coupled behind him. He was feeling very cheerful.

"Hello Thomas," he called cheerfully.

"Hello Percy," replied Thomas. "Isn't it a lovely day today?"

"It is indeed!" smiled Percy. I'm taking children to the seaside later today! I can't wait!"

"Slow down Percy!" laughed the other engine. "You haven't delivered the milk yet!"

This other engine was very old fashioned. He was in fact a steam tram. He had a square body with two cabs at each end. He had cowcatchers in front and behind his wheels, and side-plates at the sides. He had a brass bell on top of his cab roof which shone as bright as gold. The engine was painted brown, with a number '7' painted at each side of his square body. Behind him, a small, orange, old-fashioned four-wheeled coach was coupled behind him.

"Sorry Toby," piped Percy. "I'm just excited having to do that special job! I really love this lovely weather!"

"Doesn't everyone?" asked Thomas.

"No, not everyone," smiled Toby, who was a lot older and wiser than Thomas and Percy, who were very young. "Henrietta doesn't like this warm weather. She finds it too hot," he added, looking back towards to coach coupled behind him.

Just then, a figure on the platform came up from behind them, and turned to face them. The engines quietened as soon as they saw him, for it was none other than the Fat Controller. He stood in front of them, looking important, dressed in his black coat, white waistcoat, black tie, grey trousers and black top hat.

"Hello Thomas, Percy, Toby," he addressed them.

"Hello Sir!" The three engines replied in unison.

"There is to be a meeting tonight at Tidmouth sheds tonight," the Fat Controller told them.

"A meeting? What about Sir?" asked Toby curiously.

"Well, if I told you here, then there would be no point in having the meeting, would there?" The Fat Controller smiled, and he then walked down the platform to talk to the station master.

"What do you think the meeting is about?" whispered Percy.

"I've no idea," replied Thomas. "It must be something very important."

"Whatever it is, we'll find out tonight," added Toby.

Just then, Thomas' guard blew his whistle.

"Oh, I have to go now. See you tonight," remarked Thomas.

Percy and Toby called "Goodbye," as Thomas pulled out of the station, with Annie and Clarabel rattling behind.

* * *

**So why is the Fat Controller calling the engines to a meeting? What's it about? Wait and see!**

**There isn't any action in this chapter, but as the story goes on, it will hopefully get better. **


	2. The End Of The Day

Thomas made good time as he continued his work along the branch line, stopping at each station to pick up and let off passengers.

As dusk started to fall, he arrived at his final destination; Ffarquhar station. Thomas pulled into the station, and slowed to a stop.

On the road beside the station, a small red bus was waiting. The remaining passengers on the train got off Annie and Clarabel, left the platform, and started to board the bus.

"Hello Thomas," said the bus. "Any news from your branch line?"

"No, not really Bertie," replied Thomas. "Except the Fat Controller has told me, Percy and Toby that there is to be a meeting at the sheds."

"Really? What about?"

"I don't know. But I'll have to go now to find out. I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

"Okay. Goodbye Thomas. See you tomorrow." And tooting on his horn, Bertie set off down the road, while Thomas left the station.

He travelled to a large railway yard near the sheds. This was where all the coaches were kept. There were many coaches in the yard, large and small.

He shunted Annie and Clarabel into the yard.

"Goodbye, you two. See you tomorrow," he told them.

"Goodbye, Thomas," replied Annie.

"Don't forget to tell us about the meeting tomorrow," added Clarabel.

"I won't." Thomas was just about to set off, when on one of the lines near where he was parking Annie and Clarabel, he saw a large 4-6-2 tender engine shunting three large express coaches painted in dark green and cream onto the line.

This engine was very big and strong. He was painted blue with red stripes, and had the number '4' painted on his tender.

"Hello Gordon," said Thomas. "Did you hear about the meeting we have to go to?"

"Only just," replied the big engine. "He tried to tell me as I was racing through Edward's station with the express. He was telling Edward about it, and as he saw me approach the station, he called out to me, trying to get the message to me. But I could barely hear him, and just raced through without stopping, and I caused his top hat to blow off his head. Edward managed to follow me, and tell me the message when I was at the next station. He also told me I was lucky that the Fat Controller managed to find his top hat."

"I guess even being the fastest engine has its disadvantages, eh Gordon?"

"Oh, no indeed, little Thomas! Being the fastest has all advantages, and no disadvantages! But you wouldn't know! Now if you'll excuse me, I must go off the meeting! I'll be there long before you will arrive."

With that, Gordon steamed out of the yard.

Thomas started to make his way out too, but he began to feel thirsty. "I'd better go to use the water tower," he thought.

As he made his way along the line leading out of the yard, he followed it up to where the nearest water tower was. But there was a great commotion there.

Two engines were already at the water tower. However, the one parked right next to the tower was a diesel engine. It was a black 08 Class shunter. He was facing the other engine (which was a steam engine), who he was stopping from using the water tower, and growling fiercely.

The other engine was blowing his whistle loudly, and wheeshing steam. This engine was a 4-6-0 tender engine. His wheels were black and his dome was brass. He had the number '5' painted on his tender. The rest of him was painted bright, shiny red.

But at this moment, the reddest part of him was his face. He continued to blow his whistle.

"Move out of the way, Diesel!" he snapped. "We have to get to the meeting, and I need to take on water."

"Why should I move for a dirty engine like you, James?" growled the diesel in an oily voice.

"_Dirty?!_ You don't know what you're talking about! My red paint is the shiniest, splendid, beautiful colour the Island of Sodor has ever seen! It's _you_ who's dirty, you smelly old diesel!" With that, James continued to blow his whistle loudly.

But instead of moving, Diesel just tooted his horn. "You want a competition to see who can make the loudest noise, do you? Fine! But my horn is much better than your whistle!"

"Diesel, what are you doing? You can't use the water tower. It's for steam engines," said Thomas.

"I know that!" growled Diesel "I'm just having fun, stopping you steam engines from using it. And it's such fun! Especially seeing how annoyed it makes James," he added, smirking slyly.

This made James so cross, that he puffed forward, shunted into Diesel, and pushed him back, so that he moved out of the way. James stopped when his tender was level with the water tower.

Diesel growled, but he began to reverse.

"I'll see you at the meeting," he snarled, "Which is probably going to be about the Fat Controller planning to scrap you steam engines." And laughing loudly, he reversed out of the yard.

"Ha!" snorted James. "That'll be the day! Whatever the Fat Controller would want with a smelly diesel like him, I'll never know!"

"Um, James, could you just use the water tower, so that I can use it?" asked Thomas.

So a nearby workman opened the water cap in James' tender. He inserted the water cap into James' water tank. Then he turned the handle on the water tower. Water rushed from the tower, through the pipe, and into James' tender.

After a few seconds, which was enough time for enough water to fill James' tank, the workman turned off the tap. He took the pipe out o James' tank and closed the cap.

James whistled, and he puffed away out of the yard.

Thomas then steamed forward, and stopped when he was right by the water tower. But because he was a tank engine, his water tanks were on the side of his boiler, unlike James, whose water tanks were in his tender.

The workman opened the water cap, and inserted the pipe. He turned the tap, and waited for Thomas' tank to fill up.

After a few seconds, the workman turned off the tap, took out the pipe, and closed the cap. Thomas let off steam.

"That's good," he said, "Now to go to the meeting."

He blew his whistle and puffed out of the yard.

**So here is the second chapter, which shows the first sign of the antagonising with the Steamies and Diesels. There'll be plenty of that throughout the story.**


	3. Tidmouth Sheds

After puffing along the line which had led him out of the yard for a while, Thomas reached the sheds.

He had arrived at another yard, in the middle of which was a turntable, which engines would use to choose a line to leave to the yard, or to back into the engine sheds; a large roundhouse built from yellow bricks, with seven spaces for seven engines to park.

Four of the seven spaces where occupied. Gordon was parked in the right end space, with Toby to his left, Percy to Toby's left and James to Percy's.

Next to the left side of the shed was a large goods shed. Two lines ran into it. On the left line, some trucks were parked. On the right line, Diesel was parked there. He wasn't taking much notice of the steam engines, and they weren't taking much notice of him either.

Thomas puffed onto the turntable. A nearby workman walked to the handle on the end of the turntable and started to turn it. The turntable started to slowly rotate with Thomas on it. The shunter kept turning the handle and rotating the turntable, until it led to the empty space in the sheds on James' left. The shunter stopping turning the handle, and the turntable stopped. Thomas reversed off the table and reversed into that space in the sheds.

"What took you so long, little Thomas?! I did say I would be here before you!" boasted Gordon.

"Well, need I remind you that Toby and I arrived here long before you, Gordon," said Percy cheekily.

"Pah! That's just luck! You little engines get plenty of that, but a big fast engine like me doesn't need luck; everything always goes right for us."

"Actually, you do tend to get luck," wheeshed James, "that is, _bad_ luck; such as getting stuck on a hill, bursting your safety valve, falling in a ditch, crashing through stations and fields-"

"All right James, that will do," said Toby disapprovingly. "You tend to have bad luck too, like crashing into fields and tar waggons, and even damaging your coaches, and having them to be mended by bootlaces!"

Before James could answer, they heard a whistle from behind.

A line ran along the right side of the sheds. At that moment, another engine came along the line from behind the sheds, and stopped by them. The engine was a 0-6-0 pannier tank engine, paited green with black wheels. On each side of his boilder, the letters 'G', 'W' and 'R' were painted in yellow. On each end of his boilder, near his footplate, the number '8' was painted.

The engine looked towards where Diesel was parked in the goods shed and scowled. But he quickly changed to a smile in an effort to greet the steam engines.

"Hello, Duck," peeped Thomas. "Why don't you come in the sheds? There's plenty of space."

"No thank you, Thomas," replied the engine called Duck. "I can clearly see that the spare spaces are right by…_him!_" He paused before addressing Diesel."

"Oh, what was that?" asked Diesel sarcastically, knowing Duck was talking about him. "It sounds to me like '_Quack! Quack!_'" Diesel then started bursting out laughing.

"Hey, shut up Diesel!" snapped Duck, but Diesel took no notice.

"There it is again; '_Quack! Quack!_' he laughed cruelly.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's Diesel laughing!" sulked James.

"And if there's two things I can't stand, it's Diesel laughing – and James sulking," groaned Gordon.

Duck sighed, "I may prefure being called Duck to my real name, Montague, but if there's one disadvantage about it, it's the act that being teased about it doesn't seem to get old. We Great-Western engines would never steam so low as to tease someone for how they are called."

"Shut up Ducky! No one cares!" shouted Diesel. "Why don't you just go back to your pond?!" With that, he continued to laugh histerically.

"Why don't you shut up, you smelly old diesel!" snapped Percy crossly, sticking up for Duck." Just you wait! I'll show you! I'll give you what for! I'll–"

"_SILENCE!_" bellowed a well-known voice. Immeditly, the engines held their tongues.

"I don't know. I leave you to settle into the meeting until I arrive, and you're arguing," sighed the Fat Controller.

"But sir, Diesel started it!" protested Percy. "He was bullying Duck! He-"

"That's enough Percy! Now, are we all here?" the Fat Controller asked. He looked at the engines, and then towards the two empty spaces in the sheds. "No; Henry and Edward haven't arrived yet."

"Oh, wait sir, there they are," Thomas called.

Two tender engines puffed along one of the lines leading to the turntable, and stopped just before it. The same work man that had turned Thomas around went to the handle on the turntable, and turn the handle so that the turntable rotated until it was leading to the line the two engines were coming from.

The engine in front moved onto the turntable and stopped when he was on it. The workman began turning the handle so that the turntable rotated with the engine on it.

The engine was a 4-6-0 type, and almost as big as Gordon. He was painted green with thin red stripes. On each side of his tender, the number '3' was painted.

The workman continued to keep the table rotating, until it led to the space in the sheds on Thomas' left. The big green engine reversed off the turntable, and backed into this space. Then the workman turned the turntable until it led to the line that the green engine came on, so that the other engine could use it.

While the big green engine was almost as big as Gordon, the other engine was almost as big as James. He was a 4-4-0 type, and was painted blue with thin red stripes, just like Thomas and Gordon. The number '2' was painted on each side of his tender.

Once the blue engine was on the turntable, the workman turned it around until it led to the remaining space in the shed, which the engine back down and reversed into.

"Sorry if we're late Sir," wheesed the big green engine. "When pulling my last train, I couldn't pull it over Gordon's hill. It was so heavy."

"And I had to push Henry over it," puffed Edward proudly. "It just goes to show, I may be the oldest, but I'm still very useful!"

"You're still old enough to retire though, Edward," grumbled Henry. "Gordon was right when he said you should."

"Yes, and what happeded then? I pushed both Gordon and Duck over the hill!" said Edward proudly.

"It's not like you to boast, Edward," said the Fat Controller.

"Oh? Am I boasting?! Oh, I am sorry Sir, I didn't mean to!" apoligised Edward, looking ashamed.

"It's okay. Just don't cause an argument. There's already been on here."

Diesel clentched his teeth. He wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut.

"Well, now that we're here," said the Fat Controller, "time to get down the business."

* * *

**Now we're at the meeting - but what it's about won't be revealed until the next chapter. It would have been revealed in this chapter, but it just would have made this chapter too long.**


	4. The Meeting

"So what's the meeting about, Sir?" asked Toby.

"Well, Toby. This morning, I received a letter from the controller of the railway of England; Howard Andrews," explained the Fat Controller. "He's a good friend of mine, and he's currently having a problem."

"What sort of problem, Sir?" Percy asked curiously.

"A similar problem to what I once had; his steam engines have gone on strike!"

"Strike? What for?" asked Henry.

"He said in the letter that his steam engines feel they are being treated unfairly; because he is bringing diesel engines to work with them, and they are refusing to work."

"Well, it's no different to what we have to suffer here," sighed James, looking directly at Diesel, who glared at him. "But you don't see us going on strike," James added.

"Well, I know you wouldn't go on strike James," said the Fat Controller. "Or you, Gordon and Henry. You know what happened when you went on strike for the sake of having to shunt and fetch your own coaches."

"We know," grumbled Gordon. "You shut us up in the sheds for several days!"

"Ugh! Don't remind me of that!" snorted Henry huffily.

"But, Sir," oiled Diesel. "Aren't these diesel engines doing both their work – _and_ the steam engines' work, thus proving that diesels are better and more useful?"

"Hey, no one asked you, Diesel-" snapped Thomas, but before he could continue, the Fat Controller raised his hand to silence him.

"Actually, to answer your question, Diesel; no, the diesels are not proving to be useful. In fact, that's where the problem continues."

"What do you mean, Sir?" asked Diesel frowning.

"The diesels just keep breaking down. They are poorly maintained and very expense for Mr Andrews to have repaired."

"Ha! So much for diesels proving to be useful more useful than steam engines!" James jeered at Diesel. "That's one in the headlamp for you, Diesel!"

"Fancy replacing steam engines diesels which are only good for breaking down," grunted Gordon grudgingly. "The indignity."

"Your friend really does have a problem then, Sir," said Edward.

"Yes Edward," replied the Fat Controller. "So that is why tomorrow, I am going to have to go to England to help him?"

"You're leaving us?" gasped Thomas in surprise. "But for how long?"

"I don't know, Thomas. But it won't be for that long. I really need to help my friend. He hasn't been running his railway as long as I have been running mine. So as an experienced railway director, I need to offer him advice on how to solve this problem."

"But who will look after us?" asked Duck, worried.

"You'll be looked after," smiled the Fat Controller. "Another friend of mine, Gerald Matthews will look after you. He used to work on a railway, and I have often told him all about you all. It's been arranged that he will look after you while I'm away. He is very much looking forward to meeting you."

This set the steam engines' minds at rest, but Diesel didn't actually care if the Fat Controller would be leaving them for a while.

"So Thomas," continued the Fat Controller. "Tomorrow, when you are beginning to run your branch line, you'll meet me at Knapford station. I will be on your train. You must take me to Dryaw, where Harold will then take me to England.

This made Thomas feel very important. "Yes, Sir!"

"Excuse me, Sir," put in Gordon. "But why don't _I _take you? I could get you faster there than Thomas and Harold put together. Of course, there's always that diesel which takes over when I reach Brendam, but I could do the whole-"

"_GORDON!!_" The Fat Controller bellowed. Gordon stopping protesting immediately.

"You will get on with your own jobs tomorrow, that that's that. I'm the head of the railway, and I decide what goes. And tomorrow, I need to remind Mr Andrews it's the same for him on his railway.

"So, that's all now," the Fat Controller concluded. "So I'm going home now to get a good night's sleep, as I have a busy tomorrow. Be good while I'm away."

"Yes, Sir," the steam engines replied in unison. Diesel remained silent.

With that, the Fat Controller got into his car; a blue Saloon, and drove out of the yard.

"So he's leaving to help his friend," exclaimed Toby.

"Of course he isn't!" sneered Diesel. "He's really going to arrange to have you all scraped!"

"Yes, Diesel, that's what you always say," Henry replied in a bored tone. "But he never does."

"There's always a first time," Diesel muttered grudgingly, but no one was listening. With that, he drove out of the goods shed, waited for the turntable to be turned to his track by the same workman, and he used it to turn to another line, and he drove away from Tidmouth sheds and out of the yard.

"We'd better get some sleep," said Thomas. "It's getting late now."

All of the engines agreed.

"I'll go back to my shed on my branch line," said Duck. "You're all inside the sheds, I don't fancy sleeping outside."

"Should have taken a spare space while you could, Duck," giggled Percy.

"So I'll be going now. See you tomorrow," Duck whistled, and with that, he steamed out of the yard.

"Good night, Duck!" The other engines called. Then, shutting their eyes, they all fell fast asleep at once.

* * *

**And they all lived happily ever after, right? Wrong! ****This isn't nearly the end. It's only the beginning.**

**However, I would like to remind you that for now, the story won't be updated for just over a week, as I'm going to Spain this Tuesday. I'll continue writing when I come back, and action will soon be coming in to the story.**


	5. Departure

Early next morning, Thomas left Tidmouth Sheds, collected Annie and Clarabel from the coach yard, and made his way to Knapford station.

"We have a very important job today," he told the coaches, as he puffed along. "We have to take the Fat Controller to Dryaw."

"Ooh," the coaches twittered in unison. They loved taking the Fat Controller on journeys. It made them feel proud.

"What for, Thomas?" Annie asked.

"He's leaving Sodor for a while."

"Leaving for a while? Whatever for?" Clarabel asked in a worried tone. "And who will look after us while he is away?"

"He's going to help the head of the railway of England, who has a problem with his engines. A friend of his will look after us while he is away. So there's no need to worry." Thomas explained, feeling confident.

But both Annie and Clarabel were worried. They didn't like the sound of the head of the railway leaving them for a while. Whenever the Fat Controller was around, they always felt safe. Somehow, they didn't think they would be if he was away, even if it was only temporary.

Soon, Thomas puffed into a large station terminus. It had eight platforms; one of which was for goods trains, the rest for passenger trains. The station wav covered by a huge glass roof, made into arches, on above every two lines by the platforms.

Thomas stopped by one of the platforms. Gordon was one parked by the next platform on Thomas' left. He was pulling the express, which consisted of three coaches, painted in dark green and white.

Several passengers were on the platforms, crowding around the two trains. Some o which boarded Gordon's express. The rest boarded Annie and Clarabel.

Thomas looked amongst the crowd of passengers. The Fat Controller was no where to be seen.

"Where's the Fat Controller?" he asked, wonderingly. "I can't see him anywhere."

"Huh! He always complains when we're late, and yet, he isn't here for his train," grumbled Gordon.

Just then, they both heard a loud female voice.

"Hurry up, Topham! You're going to miss your train!"

They looked back, and there, they could see the Fat Controller making his way up the platform, being fussed around by a cross-looking lady, with long brown hair, dressed in a blue blouse and yellow hat.

"Alright, dear," the Fat Controller replied sheepishly. "But Thomas won't leave without me."

"It's a wonder he doesn't!" snapped the Lady. "I know I would if I were him!"

Thomas and Gordon snickered quietly.

"The Fat Controller may be the head of the railway," Gordon exclaimed between quiet laughs. "But while he orders us about, there's only one person who can order him about – and that's Lady Hatt."

"Yeah," Thomas giggled. "I'd hate it if _she _were head of the railway!" The two engines continued to laugh.

But they stopped at once when Sir Topham and Lady Hatt came up to them.

"Okay, Topham. See you in a few days," Lady Hatt said. "Make sure you look tidy before your friend! You're not at all tidy right now!"

"Yes, dear." The Fat Controller sighed. "Goodbye, dear." Then muttered under his breath, "Glad to see the back you too."

He then boarded Annie. The rest of the passengers boarded the two coaches, and the guard then blew his whistle.

"Peep! Peep!" Thomas whistled, and he puffed slowly out of the station. "Goodbye, Gordon," he called.

Gordon watched Thomas disappear from sight. "I still think I should have been chosen to take the Fat Controller. I'd get him to England much faster than Thomas and Harold."

After a lot of travelling on his branch line, Thomas arrived at Dryaw; a small station parked near an airfield. He slowed to a stop. The passengers got out of Annie and Clarabel and onto the platform. Including the Fat Controller, who then went up to Thomas.

"Thank you for taking me here, Thomas. Now, be good while I'm away, and prove to me that even when I'm not on Sodor, you can still be a really useful engine."

"I will, Sir!"

"That's a good engine. Well, I'll see you in a few days. Goodbye." With that, the Fat Controller left the platform, and went to the airfield, where a helicopter was standing, which he boarded. The helicopter was painted white with red lining. On its sides, painted in red, was the name "Harold."

"Hello, Thomas, old chap," the helicopter called cheerfully. "How are you going to manage working the railway without the Fat Controller?"

"We'll manage, Harold." Thomas answered confidently. "His friend is looking after us. So I must prove to be a really useful engine, even while he is away."

Harold's blades started to turn. "Ho! Ho! Without him, you're railway will be even slower!"

"Bah! You'll see!" Thomas replied, annoyed. Harold, pretending not to hear, took off into the sky. Behind his windows, the Fat Controller looked down at Thomas, and waved.

"Goodbye, Sir." Thomas watched as Harold disappeared into the sky.

"How rude of Harold to say we're slow!" Annie snapped, angrily.

"Ah, well. You know, Harold." Thomas exclaimed. "He often teases us about the railway, but he's a good friend to us all. Especially since he always rescues anyone who gets into danger. So Harold won't be a problem while the Fat Controller's away." Thomas sighed. "It'll be Diesel. He'll give us such bother I'm sure! More than usual, probably!"

Thomas was so wrapped up in his thoughts about Diesel, that he didn't notice a small tank engine puff up next to him, by the other station platform. The little tank engine was painted purple with red lining. The sides of her tanks were painted grey, her wheels were red, and she had pink cheeks with freckles. She also had three domes.

The little tank engine was delighted to see Thomas, but as he was thinking a lot about Diesel, he didn't seem to notice her.

"Ooh! Diesel is such a pain in the boiler! He makes me so mad!" He was so cross, that he blew an angry wheesh of steam.

The little tank engine did the same, and unfortunately, the steam she let off blew into Thomas' face. He coughed and choked as it did so, and he immediately snapped out off his thoughts. When the steam cleared, after a few seconds, Thomas noticed the little tank engine, and although her face lit up with delight when he finally noticed her, he did not look pleased to see her.

"_ROSIE!_" he bellowed angrily. "What are you playing at?!"

"Hello, Thomas," Rosie smiled sweetly. "What are you doing?"

"I've taken the Fat Controller to Harold. So he's now travelling to England, where he's helping his friend for a few days. What are _you _doing? Why are you blowing steam in my face?!"

"I'm just on my way to shunt trucks at the coaling plant. But then I saw you. I noticed the way you wheeshed steam just then. So I tried to wheesh the same way as you just did."

"Rosie, do you have to copy everything I do?" Thomas sighed. "It's really annoying."

"Sorry, Thomas," Rosie replied sadly. "But I just want to be like you, because you're a really useful engine. You're sweet and caring. You look out for all your friends. There's no other engine like you. I really like you. In fact, I lo-"

But Rosie was interrupted by the guard's whistle. Thomas quickly steamed away, as fast as his wheels could carry him. He grinned, feeling very pleased to be rid of Rosie.

But Clarabel watched Rosie disappear from sight, and saw how sad the little tank engine looked. She felt sorry for her. Clarabel whispered quietly to Annie, just loud enough for her to hear, but quiet enough for Thomas not to.

"Rosie really does love Thomas, doesn't she?" she whispered sadly.

"Yes," Annie whispered back. "If there's one thing Thomas needs to learn, it's how to love back."

"He loves us, doesn't he?"

"Yes, but that's different. He loves us as his coaches, and we're his responsibility. The way Rosie loves him is different. She loves Thomas for who he is. Thomas needs to return the feelings."

"I'm sure he will yet," smiled Clarabel. "Thomas always learns the ways of things eventually. Soon, there will be a bit of romance on the railway."

The two coaches giggled at this thought. It made them forget about worrying about not having the Fat Controller around. They whispered and giggled a lot about romance. Thomas, while puffing along and making good time, heard none of this.

* * *

**I'm now back from Spain, and here's chapter five.**

**As you just noticed while reading, Rosie appears in this chapter. A few non-Awdry characters while appear in the story, but there will be more Awdry characters.**


	6. Good Diesels

Further away, on another branch line, Edward was making his way to the station of Wellsworth (often refured to by many as 'Edward's Station', since this was the top station on this branch line, which belonged to Edward), to do some shunting.

As he puffed along the line, he came to a section of the line which ran past a large orchard. Many apple trees were standing here, the apples that were growing on them ripening in the summer sunshine. At the bottom of the orchard was a large wooden shed.

Standing by the wooden fence which protected the line was a traction engine, painted dark green with red wheels and lining.

As Edward was running early, he decided to stop by where the traction engine was standing.

"Hello Trevor," he smiled. "How are things?"

"Hello, Edward. Not much to say really," replied the traction engine. "Only I've been keep busy this summer, giving children rides."

"It isn't tiring you out, is it Trevor?"

"Not at all, Edward," smiled Trevor. "You know how much I love children. So tell me, is there any news from you engines that run on rails."

So Edward told Trevor about the Fat Controller leaving for England. "Diesel will probably see this chance to give us engines more trouble. It will be quite a bother."

I expect he'll give me trouble too," Trevor sighed. "I'm a steam engine too, even if I run on roads instead of rails. Why must the diesels hate us steam engines?"

"Well, not all diesels are bad," remarked Edward. "We have some good friends who are diesels."

"Oh, yes, we do," smiled Trevor. "Just like-"

"Hello there!" called a friendly voice, cutting Trevor off, follow by two friendly toots on a horn. And coming along the line next to Edward, in the opposite direction Edward was facing, was a long green diesel engine, pulling some fuel tankers. He stopped by Edward and Trevor, looking pleased to see them.

"Oh, hello, Boco," said Edward.

"I was just talking about you," put in Trevor. "I was just saying how you're a good Diesel, who's a good friend to us."

"That's very kind of you to say such a nice thing about me," smiled Boco, feeling flattered.

"That's because it's true," exclaimed Edward. "You don't grudge steam engines. So we don't grudge you back."

Boco laughed. "Well, there is one steam engine does; James. I remember him calling me a 'Buzz-box, diesel.' In fact, shortly before that, it was right here when I was warning him and Trevor about how bees string. Of course, he took no notice of me, just because I'm a diesel."

"And we all know what happened after that, don't we?" replied Trevor, unable to keep the chuckles out of his voice. "An incident which involved a bee, its string and a sore nose for James." Then Trevor, Edward and Boco began laughing.

But then, they heard a loud angry voice show to them.

"What's that about me?!"

On the third line, next to the one which Boco was travelling on, James was coming towards them, travelling in the same direction as Edward, pulling a passenger train.

"Oh, nothing, nothing." Boco lied, looking innocent.

"You'd better not be laughing at me!" snapped James, as he passed them, and made his way towards the station.

"I'd better be on my way," said Edward. "Lots of shunting to do."

"Yes, I'd better get on with delivering these fuel tankers," agreed Boco. "Goodbye, Edward. Goodbye, Trevor."

"Goodbye, you two," said Trevor, and watched as the wise old steam engine and the friendly diesel engine went on their way.

Back on Thomas' branch line, Toby and his coach, Henrietta were making their way to the quarry. They were taking workmen to work there. Toby then had to take stone from the quarry to the harbour.

"I hope those diesels don't give us any bother while the Fat Controller is away," sighed Henrietta. There's no telling what they do. Especially to you, Toby, since you're old."

"I'm sure there's no reason to worry," smiled Toby. "Besides, we have to remember that not all diesels are bad."

When they arrived at the quarry, Toby stopped, and the workmen got out of Henrietta.

"Now then," said Toby. "Where are my trucks of stone?" He looked around, expecting to find them all ready. But though there were plenty of trucks scattered around the quarry, there was no line of them ready.

Instead, Toby found Percy arguing with a small diesel engine, painted black with yellow and black hazard stripes on her front and rear ends. Like Toby, she had cowcatchers and sideplates covering her six wheels. On each of her side paints, painted in white read; "THE FFARQUHAR QUARRY CO. LTD." On each side of the outside of her cab, also painted in white, read the name; "MAVIS."

"Percy, it's my job to shunt Toby's trucks," she grumbled.

"But I'm sure Toby would want a steam engine to shunt his trucks, instead of a dirty diesel!" Percy argued.

"Look, you silly green fool! The trucks are not ready, and I would have them ready if you didn't decide to pick an argument with me."

"Yes! You should have the trucks ready by now, Mavis!" said Toby crossly. Both Percy and Mavis gasped when they noticed Toby. "Why are they not ready?" asked Toby.

"I would have them ready, but this silly little engine insists that you would rather have him shunt the trucks for him."

"But she's a diesel!" pouted Percy. "We know how bad diesels are!"

"Percy, Mavis may be a diesel, but she's a good diesel," Toby snapped.

"Friend?! After the insults she's spent the past twenty minutes giving me?!"

"Well, you said some rude things to me too," grumbled Mavis.

"That's enough now," said Toby. "Percy, its Mavis' job to shunt the trucks. I don't know what you're even doing here, because you have to take a goods train from lower Tidmouth.

"Bust my buffers! You're right!" gasped Percy, and he steamed out of the quarry as fast as his wheels could carry him."

Mavis laughed. "That'll teach him!"

"Alright Mavis! Less laughing and more shunting!" ordered Toby.

After a lot of shunting, Mavis lined a lot of the trucks full of stone into one line, with a break van added to the back. Toby was uncoupled from Henrietta. He switched lines and backed down into the line of trucks.

"Thanks you, Mavis," he said. "I'll have to hurry now to make up for lost time. Goodbye for now." With that, Toby rang his bye, and steamed out of the quarry with the train of trucks.

Mavis continued to stunt the trucks, but she was still cross with Percy, and also a bit offended by the way he treated her.

"He thinks I'm bad, just because I'm a diesel. Sure, I'm a diesel. But it's not like I have a grudge against steam engines, like Diesel."

* * *

**I expect by now, you're thinking. "Come on! We're on chapter six now! Where's the action?!" I apoligise if it's going slow for you. But there will be somewhat action in the next chapter, and the real action will begin in the chapter after that.**


	7. Evil Diesels

The day dragged on, and the engines continued their hard work like clockwork.

Just as dusk started to fall, the engines were now completing their final jobs of the day.

Gordon, who had been pulling the express all day, pulled into the station at Brendam docks. A long blue diesel with its front and rear ends painted yellow (including his face) was waiting here with some express coaches. This diesel, which was from England, was waiting to take over with all the passengers from Gordon's express, to take them to England. Brendam station was as far as Gordon would go.

The passengers left Gordon's coaches, and boarded the diesel's.

"You're looking grumpy this evening," the diesel muttered to Gordon.

Gordon sighed. He was still being moaning about not being chosen to take the Fat Controller to England.

"As you know, I'm the fastest engine on the Island of Sodor!"

"So you keep reminding me," the diesel muttered.

"Yes, well, the Fat Controller has gone to England now - and has chosen to travel in a little tank engine's coaches, and a helicopter – instead of me! Sodor's fastest and finest engine! It's an outrage! It's a disgrace! It's a-"

"Did you say that the Fat Controller has gone to England?" the diesel interrupted.

"Why, yes."

"For how long?"

"Oh, a couple of days. Why?"

"Oh, no important reason," replied the diesel. Then muttered to himself, "I know someone who might like to know this."

Gordon heard this. "Who?" He asked sharply.

But then, the guard's whistle blew, and the diesel quickly raced out of the station, leaving Gordon feeling suspicious.

"What was he talking about?" he wondered. "Oh, well. That's diesels for you. Now I'd better go to take these coaches back, and go to Tidmouth sheds. The friend of the Fat Controller's who's looking after us will be here soon." And with that, with one toot of his whistle, Gordon steamed out of the station.

Later, as the final rays of daylight were dying down, Thomas and Percy were at the yards near Tidmouth. Thomas was taking on water and Percy was parked behind him, waiting to use the water tower after Thomas.

"Now, this is more like it," smiled Thomas. "A nice quiet drink. No Diesel, which means no trouble. This is just per-"

But Thomas was then rudely interrupted by the toot of a diesel horn. Both he and Percy recognised the sound of the horn, and knew which diesel it belonged to.

"I think you spoke too soon, Thomas," said Percy unhappily.

Sure enough, Diesel appeared from behind them on the track next to where they were parked.

"Going to the meeting where that friend of the Fat Controller's is going to tell you how he's going to scrap you all?" he snickered.

"I'm not going to waste my time with you," Thomas sighed. "Just buzz off, Diesel."

"And besides, the Fat Controller's friend isn't going to scrap us," peeped Percy. "He's just going to get to know us."

"Well, he only needs to take one look at you to see how useless you are!" Diesel sneered, and he purred away.

"Why does Diesel have to pick on us?!" Percy sighed sadly.

"Just ignore him, Percy," smiled Thomas. "Diesel is no good for anything. We, however, are really useful engines, and we must prove this while the Fat Controller is away. Besides, I can think of another diesel engine we've encountered, who's just as bad as diesel. But I don't think we'll hear from him again. So just having diesel is easy compared to if we had the other diesel as well."

A little later, the sun had sunk completely, and darkness had fallen. A full moon light up the island of Sodor.

Diesel was now entering a place where he loved to spend time; a large smelters yard. Remains of scrapped engines lay everywhere, and trucks of scrap where parked in the sidings. There was a large smelting shed here, where scrap was cut up and melted down. If only old vehicle was taken inside this shed, it was likely it was come out in bits and pieces.

Diesel stopped by one of the sidings, where two other diesels were parked. Like Diesel, they where Class 08 shunters. But instead of being painted black, like Diesel, they were painted dark grey, with the outside of their cabs painted yellow. On their front ends, yellow and black hazard stripes where painted. On their sides, painted in white, read 'SODOR IRONWORKS'. These two diesels were identical in almost every way, due to the fact that they were actually twins. The only detail which told the two apart was that one of them had stubble. The other was cleanly shaven.

"Alright, Diesel?" the cleanly shaven diesel asked him. "'Ave you 'eard the Fat Controller 'as left Sodor?"

"Yes, 'Arry, I know," grumbled Diesel. "I don't need reminding of thing everyone knows."

"Alright," muttered 'Arry. "Just thought I'd remind you of the latest news."

"Well now that you know that I know," groaned Diesel, feeling annoyed. "Let's get to the point of why I've come to see you."

"Why 'ave you, den?" asked the other diesel.

"I was just about to tell you, Bert." Diesel muttered through gritted teeth. "This is the perfect chance to get rid of those steam engines, once and for all!"

"Oh, and 'ow are we gonna do that?" Bert chuckled. "By pulling a 'eavy goods train, like you tried once?! Yeah, that'll really work!" he added sarcastically.

"No, it won't Bert." 'Arry snickered. "Not only does it not do anything at all to get rid of steam engines, but all it results in is Diesel falling off the end of a pier." The two twins burst out laughing.

"Shut up, you two!" Diesel snapped angrily! "You make fun of me, and it won't be just the steam engines I'll be getting rid off. And anyway, you two are just as bad when it comes to getting steam engines. How could putting steam engines in the middle of goods trains get rid of them? Honestly, without me, you'd never get rid of a steam engine."

"Ay!" snapped Bert "Need I remind you that once while you were sent away, we nearly succeeded in scrapping a steam engine, and we would 'ave successfully done so, if the Fat Controller 'adn't shown up at the last minute."

"Well, the Fat Controller isn't here now!" shouted Diesel, his face as red as James. "All three of us are here now! We've the perfect chance to get rid of those steam engines! We're fully capable of doing it! So the point is; what are we going to do?!"

"I can answer that!" boomed a loud aggressive voice. Diesel, 'Arry and Bert jerked backwards in fright. They soon found out who the voice belonged to.

A long diesel engine rolled up to them on the line next to Diesel. He was painted olive with yellow stripes running along his sides. He has thick bushy eyebrows, and an evil sinister smile. As if this appearance didn't make him look evil enough, above his roof was a crane arm, attached to the back end of his roof. At the end of the crane arm, resting on the front end of his roof was a large brown heavy metal claw.

"We'll destroy all those puffballs, soon enough," he sneered.

Diesel, 'Arry and Bert gazed at the big diesel in surprise. Then they smirked evilly.

"Oh yes," oiled Diesel. "We'll destroy them, with the help of you – Diesel 10!"

**Okay, I'm so so sorry that I promised that there will be action startiong in this chapter. I hope this isn't ruining your reading pleasure. Rest assured, the action will start soon - now that Diesel 10 is on the scene!**

**I aimed to make the part with 'Arry and Bert annoying Diesel humourous. I hope that you find it that way.**


	8. Strike

Diesel 10 grinned evilly. "Destroying all those puffballs will be no problem for me. And we're completely free to do it, now that that fat man has left the island for a while!"

"'Ow do you know the Fat Controller 'as left Sodor?" Bert asked.

"I've been spending all this time, hiding on the abandoned lines on the railway in England! I made a good friend there, who didn't tell anyone that I was there. He often goes back and forth to Sodor, and knows how much I want to destroy all the puffballs. Then, earlier today, he told me that he was taking an express from hear, and found out from one of those puffballs that the fat man has left Sodor. So I sneaked from England, making sure not to be seen, and came here!"

"Good!" Diesel smirked. "You sure can help us destroy those steam engines!"

"Correction; _I'll_ be the one to destroy them. It'll be _you_ who will be helping me."

"Oh, right." Diesel was secretly not happy about this. He was the leader out of himself, 'Arry and Bert. He didn't like being pushed aside by Diesel 10, even if he would destroy the steam engines.

"So the first thing we have to do is get rid of the man taking over for the Fat Controller," he exclaimed.

"I knew that!" Diesel 10 growled.

"Oh, well, I thought you didn't," replied Diesel, feeling quite taken aback.

"Well, I do! So don't remind me of things I already know!"

"Yeah, Diesel," grinned 'Arry. "'E reminded me of tha' too, Diesel 10, when I already knew!"

"_What?!_" shouted Diesel in shock. "You liar 'Arry! It was-"

"_SHUT UP!"_ snapped Diesel 10. Diesel stopped shouting instantly, but gritted his teeth in anger.

"What I _don't_ know," growled Diesel 10. "Is if someone is covering for the fat man."

"Oh well, that, we can tell you," oiled Diesel. "There is someone covering for the Fat Controller. He's going to meet the engines at Tidmouth sheds."

"Is there a level crossing near here?" the big evil diesel asked.

"Yeah, there's one if you go straight ahead an' rejoin the main line," replied Bert. "It's actually the nearest way for road vehicles to go to Tidmouth sheds."

"Okay!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "I hope I'm not too late. But if I'm not," he grinned evilly. "Then it's time to do the first phase; to take out the person covering for the fat man!" His claw snapped open and shut menacingly.

"Oh, yeah," 'Arry grinned. "We need to do tha' before we destroy the steam engines. Let's go!"

"Hold it!" Diesel 10 shouted. "You're not doing this part! I am!"

"Ey? But we're supposed to be a team!" Diesel protested. "We should all do it."

"As I often had to remind my old sidekicks, Splodge, about jobs like this; this is a job – for the boss!"

"And since when were you made boss of us?" Diesel asked, feeling annoyed.

"Since now! Now enough talking! I've got to go and take that man out! I may have already missed him!" And with that, Diesel 10 raced quickly through the smelting shed and out of the yard.

"Well," exclaimed Bert. "Getting rid of the steam engines will be easier than we thought, now tha' Diesel 10 will be doing it for us."

"True," agreed Diesel sulkily. "Though I don't like the idea of him being boss of me! I am the rightful boss!"

"Yeah, whatever. As if we like you being boss of us," 'Arry muttered.

After leaving the smelters, Diesel 10 was just turning a corner, when he saw the level crossing, just as Bert had told him. It had no gates, which would make his job easier.

So Diesel 10 backed up around the corner he had just turned, keeping himself hidden from site by any drivers travelling towards the level crossing.

Then he stood in silence and waited, hoping he had not missed his chance.

Soon after, he heard the sound of a car approaching. He smirked evilly in the darkness. He knew it was who he was waiting for; no one else would be travelling on this road up to Tidmouth sheds this late at night.

The car, a blue Jaguar, turned the corner in the road and made its way up to the crossing from the right side. Its driver, Gerald Matthews, was feeling tired, though excited. He was a man in his forties, with his black hair cut very short. He was on his way to begin a job he had been given; to run his good friend, Sir Topham Hatt's railway while he was in England. He was now going to meet the engines at the shed, though he didn't he why he had to go so late at night. His wife wasn't happy about it.

As Matthews was now starting to drive over the level crossing, that was when he was about to have the shock of his life.

The Jaguar's front wheels had only just rolled over the right rail of the line, when suddenly, Diesel 10 appeared from around the corner he was hiding, and stopped by the car.

Matthews, oblivious to the danger he was in, saw the big diesel, and stopped the car.

"Hello," he said smiling. "Are you one of Sir Topham Hatt's engines?"

Diesel 10 said nothing. He grinned evilly, raised his claw and snapped it open and shut. Matthews watched in confusion, but before he could do anything else, that was when the horror began.

Diesel 10 smashed his claw into the roof of the car! The claw smashed through the metal, causing huge dents in the roof and smashed the windscreen to pieces. Matthews screamed in fright, and raised his hands in front of his face.

Diesel 10 closed the claw, gripping hold of the car. Once he had a good hold of it, Diesel 10 raised his crane arm high, with the claw gripping hold of the car tight, and raising it high up, with Matthews inside it. Once Diesel 10 raised his crane arm as high as he could, he held the car in the air. The car was being held high up with its left side facing the ground.

Matthews, still in his seat, held onto the steering to stop himself from falling. "Put me down!"

"As you wish!"

With that, Diesel 10 quickly bought his claw down every fast. As soon as his crane arm hit the roof, he let go o the car, which bounced twice, with two sickening crashes, resulting in bits of metal flying off. Then the car landed on its tyres at the side of the line, and then there was complete silence. Inside, Matthews was lying still with his eyes closed and his head resting against the steering wheel, blood gushing out of a wound in his forehead.

"Well, that's the first bit taken care of," Diesel 10 grinned triumphantly. "And now, I'd better go back to the smelters and get some sleep. I'll need all the rest I can get with all the destruction I'm going to be doing tomorrow."

With that, Diesel 10 reversed back up the line to the smelters, leaving the damaged car and its unconscious driver all in the dark.

Further away, at Tidmouth sheds, the steam engines were waiting for Matthews to arrive, but they soon found it seemed he wasn't coming.

"He must have forgotten us," suggested Gordon, feeling annoyed. "How typical of the Fat Controller to get someone without a good memory to forget us."

"If that's the case, perhaps it's just as well he hasn't come," added Henry. "The diesels could trick him into scrapping us."

"The _bad_ diesels," put in Edward. "Not all diesels are bad, need I remind you."

"Okay, bad diesels, whatever Edward," sighed Henry, moodily.

"They're all the same at the end of the day," exclaimed James sulkily. "They're the reason many steam engines are getting replaced."

"But the Fat Controller hasn't replaced us with them," replied Toby.

"But some are still mean to us steam engines and would love to scrap us," sighed Percy unhappily.

Thomas, who thought an argument was about to break out, finally spoke. "Well, Mr Matthews hasn't arrived tonight, but maybe he'll arrive tomorrow. So let's get some sleep."

The other engines saw sense in that, and they soon fell asleep, having no idea what happened to Matthews that night, and that it was done by their old enemy, who they would soon be reunited with.

**So, Diesel 10 has more or less began his destruction, by taking out Gerald Matthews. What he has in store for the engines begins the next day. You can bet what he has in store for them won't be nice.**

**Read & Review.**


	9. Beginning Of Destruction

When daybreak rose at the smelters, Diesel 10 was the first to awake. When he saw Diesel, 'Arry and Bert still asleep, he gave out a loud blast on his horn.

"_WAH!!_" The three diesel shunters jerked wide awake at once, shuddering in shock.

"Wake up, you lot!" Diesel 10 ordered. "Today's the day!"

"Diesel 10, it's still early," yawned Diesel.

"Jus' go back to sleep," mumbled Bert sleepily, shutting his eyes again.

"Huh!" Diesel 10 scoffed. "Call yourselves devious diesels?! Look at you three! You're a disgrace!"

"No we're not," 'Arry muttered, exhaustedly. "We're just tired. We 'ave all day to destroy the steam engines."

"But I have to go _now_!" Diesel 10 yelled angrily, losing his patience. "Before the sun comes up and the workmen arrive and see me!"

"Then go now," suggested Diesel wearily. "We'll join you later," he added before falling back to sleep.

"Fine," Diesel 10 muttered. "But you'd better come later, or it won't be just steam engines I'll be hearing."

The only he received was the sound of snoring, so he left the yards quickly.

A few hours later, when the sun came up, all the rest of the engines were starting their first jobs of the day.

Thomas was waiting at Knapford station with Annie and Clarabel. While he waited for his passengers to board the coached, he looked around, hoping to see Matthews. But the replacement for the Fat Controller was nowhere in sight.

"Well, the replacement controller didn't come to Tidmouth sheds last night," he told Annie and Clarabel solemnly. "And he isn't here either."

"Where could he be?" The coaches felt a little worried.

Just then, Duck past through the platform on Thomas' left with a mixed goods train.

"Hey, Duck!" called Thomas as Duck passed him. "Have you seen the man replacing the Fat Controller?"

"Didn't he go to see you at Tidmouth sheds last night?!" Duck called back.

"No, he didn't." Thomas replied as Duck left the station. Just then, Rosie pulled up along side Thomas, pulling a small train of box vans. She saw how puzzled he looked, and felt worried for him.

"What's wrong, Thomas?"

But Thomas didn't seem to hear her. "This is most peculiar," he said to no one in particular.

"What is?" Rosie asked. Thomas heard her that time, and felt annoyed.

"Oh, nothing at all, Rosie," he lied, not wanting to waste time explaining everything to her.

"Thomas, I need to know if something is wrong, otherwise it could mean trouble. Please tell me. I need-"

But Rosie was rudely interrupted by the guard's whistle, and Thomas, who welcomed the sound, quickly steamed out of the station with Annie and Clarabel, leaving Rosie both puzzled and unhappy.

Further away, Diesel 10 was following his line, having not run into any steam engines yet. He was gritting his teeth in anger. Considering there were plenty of steam engines of this railway, he had not seen one since he had arrived on Sodor.

As he drove along, the track ran by a goods yard; on the left of the line was a large goods shed, which was a large steel roof, held up by four iron supports, one in each corner. If one of these four supports should break, the roof would come down, crushing any engines or rolling stock parked on the two lines beneath it. Another line ran on the other side of the goods shed, which joined up and formed a junction on the left line leading to the shed.

Diesel 10 was tempted to grab on of the supports of the shed with his claw, and send it crashing down, but didn't think it worth it, unless there was a steam engine beneath it. He also noticed a single workman standing in the yard, his back turned to him. He thought that he had better leave before he was spotted.

That was when he heard a whistle and puffing sound. Then, he saw Henry puffing slowly along the other line which ran along the other side of the goods shed, pulling a train of coal trucks. He pulled his train beyond the junction, and stopped. The single workman switched the points, so that the line led back to the goods shed. Then he uncoupled Henry from the train of trucks and walked away, not noticing Diesel 10.

Henry backed up and slowly pushed his trucks over the points, and into the goods shed. He didn't stop until he himself was under the steel roof. Since he was a little in front of Diesel 10, he had no idea he was right near the villainous diesel.

"Phew! That was tiring work," he wheezed wearily. "I think I'll have a rest for a while. There's still time before my next train."

"I'm afraid not," Diesel 10 muttered under his breath, smirking. "You've just pulled your last train, big green puffball."

With that, he raised his claw, rotated it, so that it was on its side, and grabbed one of the supports of the shed. Then, he quickly ripped a piece of the support out. The other three supports wobbled unsteadily.

Henry heard the sound of the support being ripped. Alarmed, he looked up, and saw the roof of the shed wobbling.

"The shed! It's going to collapse!" Finding strength which he didn't realise he had a few moments ago, he raced quickly out of the shed and left the yard. The trucks, which were left in the shed, were not so lucky. The supports fell over and the shed roof tumbled down on top of them, with a loud crash, crushing them in the process.

"_GRRRRR!!" _Diesel 10 was now crosser than he was before.

Just then, Diesel appeared on the line on the other side of the wreckage, which Henry had first been travelling on.

"I saw everything. I take it your cross now,"

"Correction; I was cross, because I couldn't find any puffballs. Now – _I'm furious!_ I find a puffball, and he only just escapes getting destroyed."

"Well don't just furious just yet," remarked Diesel. "That was only the first victim you encountered. You can always try again; though let's start with a different steam engine." Diesel then grinned menacingly. "And I know just the one. Meet me near the sidings by that large grass slope."

And Diesel went along his line, while Diesel 10 went along his, making his way to wear Diesel had said they would carry out their next evil task.

**So now that Diesel 10's ramage has begun, we're finally getting to the main rampage in the story. Although the only destruction he creates in this chapter is destroying a shed (and nearly Henry!), there will be plenty more in future chapters.**


	10. Crash

After following the line for some time – without running into any other steam engines – Diesel 10 arrived at a large railway yard, where Diesel was waiting.

"So you've finally arrived," remarked Diesel rudely. "I got here ages ago. What took you so long?"

"Shut it, Diesel! I didn't take that long! Now stop with your stupid remarks, and get on with what you've brought us here for!"

"Well," scoffed Diesel. "You wait here, and I'll take a look to see if our target has arrived. If he has, I'll talk to him for a while, then blow my horn to you. That's your signal to come and destroy. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it."

With that, Diesel rounded the corned, travelled forward a little, and then stopped. There, he saw his target.

Duck was there, parked in one of the three sidings ahead with the mixed goods train he was pulling through Knapford. Beyond these sidings was a fence, which was on top of a grass slope, at the bottom of which was a brick wall. Once, when boasting about winning a race against Bertie, Thomas had fallen down this slope and crashed through this wall.

Duck stood in the siding, facing the buffers, feeling exhausted. The trucks, who always loved to misbehave, had been hard work for him, teasing him and holding back to make pulling them hard for him.

They were right now giggling at their behaviour throughout the journey. They were not in the least bothered what Duck thought of them, nor was Duck surprised at their behaviour. For this was common behaviour for all of the trucks on the Sodor railway; to play tricks and cause bother for the engines. Because of this, the engines christened them as 'Troublesome Trucks'.

"Why do you like causing trouble for us engines?" asked Duck wearily.

"What do you expect? It's the only fun we get out of the journeys," snapped a box van.

"You can do other things for fun which aren't so naughty," suggested Duck. "Like count how many stations we pass on the way."

"But that's boring!" moaned a stone truck. "Playing tricks on engines gives us a laugh.

"Well it certainly doesn't give me a laugh. Honestly, is there any goodness in you trucks?"

"There's no goodness in _me_! That's for sure!" Came an oily voice, and then, Diesel rolled up on the line furthest away from Duck. He pulled up when he was level with the Great-Western engine and sneered.

"What are you doing here, Diesel?" Duck scowled sourly.

"Oh, nothing. Just bringing a good friend for you to say 'Hi' to." Then with that, Diesel blasted his horn loud, and then, Diesel 10 rolled up on the line next to Duck, giving him his most evil grin. Duck gasped in shock.

"D-D-D-Diesel T-T-T-" he stuttered.

"That's right!" Diesel 10 boomed. "I am Diesel 10!" Then, he raised his claw, and turned it to face Duck. "And you, I'm afraid, are scrap!" Then he snapped his claw aggressively.

Duck shuddered in fear, too frightened to move. But then suddenly, the trucks, just as frightened as he was, surged him forward. "On! On! On!" they screamed. Duck cried out in fright. They pushed Duck out of the way of Diesel 10's claw quickly, and the brake van on the end of the train managed to get out of the way before Diesel 10 could grab it.

Before the big diesel could retreat, he and Diesel watched in surprise as the trucks pushed Duck through the buffers which broke to pieces as he smashed through them.

The trucks continued to push Duck through the fence, and then he rolled unstoppably down the slope and hit the wall with a sickening crash, bringing them to a stop.

The wall smashed and pieces of broken bricks flew around Duck. His Great-Western green paint was badly scratched, and his front end was badly damaged. The trucks lay around him. Some of them had stayed on their wheels, but others had fallen onto their sides.

The two diesels were still surprised; they didn't realise it was the trucks who made Duck crash. From what they saw, it looked as if Duck had done it himself.

"Well, well, well," sneered Diesel 10. "Looks like the Great-Western puffball has lost his mind!"

"As he keeps reminding everyone," exclaimed Diesel. "There are two ways of doing things; the Great-Western way, or the wrong way. Well, have I got news for you Duck," he called. "That was the wrong way! Well, for you at least. But it's the right way for us, for it saves us the bother of having to destroy you."

"All the same," grumbled Diesel 10 sulkily. "I've still yet to destroy a puffball myself. And that's what I'm here for."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Diesel remarked. "See ya! Wouldn't wanna be ya!" He called to Duck, before leaving the yard with Diesel 10.

"Now what did you make me crash for?!" Duck snapped to the trucks. "I was in danger then. There was no time for your silly tricks!"

"Well, that's gratitude," sighed a coal truck. "We were not playing tricks on you! We just saved your bunker! If we didn't make you crash, Diesel 10 would have destroyed you."

Duck then realised this. "Oh, yes, so he would have. Oh, thank you all. Not only did you just save me from being scrap, but you've just proved that trucks are good, as well as troublesome after all."

"Hey," laughed a salt wagon. "If Diesel 10 destroyed you, then you wouldn't be around for us to play tricks on you."

All the trucks proceeded to laugh at this comment, and Duck couldn't help but laugh too.

After a while, a passing workman, having noticed the broken buffers, spotted Duck down the slope. Surprised at this, he immediately ran to the telephone box in the yard and telephoned for help. Then he ran back to the top of the slope.

"Edward is on his way to help you," he called down to Duck. "So just wait there."

"I can hardly do anything else," muttered Duck.

Soon after, Edward steamed into the yard, pushing a large dark red breakdown crane with yellow stripes. He was puffing along the line Duck had crashed, but with the breakdown crane in front of him, he couldn't see the siding with no buffers on top of the slope. Fortunately, the breakdown crane did.

"Whoa, Edward!" he called warningly. "That's far enough, or we'll be joining Duck down there!"

Edward stopped just in time. The breakdown crane's front wheels were just on the edge of the end of the rails.

"Thanks for the warning, Rocky," exclaimed Edward. Then he called out to Duck. "Hello?! Duck?! Can you here me?!"

As Duck was facing away from the slope, he couldn't see Edward, but could hear him clearly. "Hello Edward! I can hear you!"

"It's okay! I'm here with Rocky!"

"I'll get you back onto the rails into no time!" The breakdown crane called out loudly.

Some workmen who had travelled with Edward and Rocky took hold of the hook on Rocky's crane arm. Then, they walked carefully down the slope towards Duck, extending the chain out, as it unravelled from the cylinder on Rocky's crane arm.

When they reached the bottom of the slope, they connected the hook to Duck's rear coupling.

"All set!" One of them called out to Rocky. With that, Rocky started to pull his chain back in. The cylinder on his crane arm started to sping, as the chain wrapped itself around it, slowly pulling Duck back up the slope. The chain strained, but pulling the Great-Western engine up the slope wasn't too difficult for the big breakdown train. So it didn't take long for Rocky to heave Duck back up to the top of the slope and back onto the track.

One of the workmen examined Duck. "You'll have to go to Croven's Gate for repairs."

So while Edward left the yard to turn around on the nearest turntable, Rocky lifted Duck onto a flatbed that was parked on the line on the left of Rocky's. When Edward returned, he was coupled to the flatbed carrying Duck, and pulled away, leaving Rocky to bring the unhurt trucks back up the slope.

On the way to the repairs shed, Edward asked Duck what had caused his accident. Duck then let the story spill about how Diesel showed up with Diesel 10, much to the shock of Edward, to learn that their old enemy had returned.

"Diesel 10 is on Sodor?"

"Yes," replied Duck. "And it seems he's going to destroy us all. He would have destroyed me too, if it weren't for the trucks." Duck then told Edward how the trucks had rescued him, by making him crash.

When they reached the repairs shed of Croven's Gate, Edward parked Duck's flatbed next to the brick engine shed. The nearby shunter uncoupled him.

"See you later, Duck," whistled Edward. "I'm going now to spread the work that Diesel 10 is back, and make sure all steam engines are aware. I hope he hasn't found them first. Wish me luck." With that, Edward puffed away.

"Goodbye, Edward," replied Duck, feeling worried. "And good luck. Don't let Diesel 10 catch you…"

* * *

**We have now reached the tenth chapter in the story, which focuses alot on Duck the Great-Western Engine. After all, since I couldn't include him in the story and not give him a chapter focusing on him. Especially since he was absent for some time after season seven, thanks to HIT, but has fortunately returned.**

**Speaking of reaching the tenth chapter, I really don't know how many chapters this story is going to take. I've planned the whole story, but not the chapters, so I'm surprised this chapter turned out to be the tenth.**


	11. Chase Down The Tracks

As Edward puffed along, he approached his station. Beyond the platform was a junction which led into a goods yard by the station.

But past the junction, Edward saw Bert parked on the line, facing him. Edward passed the points and stopped in front of him.

"Bert! Have you heard?! Diesel 10 is back on Sodor!"

Bert grinned evilly. "_I know!_"

Then suddenly, 'Arry appeared from out of the goods yard. He came onto the line Edward and Bert were on and buffered up to behind Edward. Then, Bert buffered up to in front of Edward, trapping the old engine.

"What are you doing?" Edward gasped.

"Little blue piggy in the middle," 'Arry snickered.

"Just like James and Percy," added Bert.

Before Edward could respond, he saw a terrifying sight.

On the line nest to them, Diesel 10 appeared next to them, followed by Diesel.

"Oh look!" Diesel 10 boomed, raising and snapping his claw. "It's the elderly puffball! He's much too old to be any use now! Let's put him out of his misery and scrap him!"

"_NO!_" Edward cried, and shot forward.

Despite being old, Edward was still fairly strong. His sudden shot forward knocked Bert off the rails and lying on his side beside the track. Edward puffed away as fast as he could. Diesel 10 angrily gave chase, leaving Diesel, 'Arry and a derailed Bert.

Edward sped down the line, hardly daring to look back. Diesel 10 sped close behind on the other line. Edward was a far distance in front, but with each yard, Diesel 10 came closer, his claw raised high.

"You may as well give up, puffball!" he called angrily. "In a few minutes, you'll be my scrap!"

They passed a signal box, and then a junction which joined Edward's line from behind. Edward was beginning to slow down. The old engine couldn't go fast for long. Diesel 10 noticed this, and grinned. He was sure he would destroy his first steam engine in a few minutes.

Then suddenly, the sound of a whistle blasted, which made the two engines jump. Gordon was travelling at a fast sped on the line which reached the junction which joined Edward's line. The signalman quickly changed the points just in time, and Gordon safely sped onto Edward's line behind Edward.

Gordon gasped when he saw the sight of Diesel 10. Then he noticed that Edward was in trouble. So Gordon sped up, until he came right behind Edward. Then, still travelling fast, he buffered up to Edward, and pushed him further down the line a great distance ahead of the diesel.

Diesel 10, still giving chase, was now even more cross. But then he called out to them "It's okay! I'll just destroy you both at once!" and he sped up, tried to catch up.

"Hurry, Gordon!" Edward cried. "He's speeding up!"

"You'll take to look out of me Edward!" Gordon cried back. "I can't see, and if we crash, there'll be nothing to stop him from destroying us both!"

They raced past a siding, where Henry was taking on water from the water tower. He watched the two engines race past in surprise, then let out a loud gasp as he saw Diesel 10 rocket by.

"_Diesel 10_!" he cried. "He's back – and wants to destroy us! Oh no!"

Down the line, Edward and Gordon raced on, still a great distance in front of Diesel 10. Up ahead was a level crossing without any gates. Bertie had just pulled up on the road, having here the engines coming. He watched as the two blue steam engines race by in fright.

"Where are Edward and Gordon off two in such a hurry?" Then, he noticed Diesel 10 approaching the level crossing, and gasped in shock.

"It's Diesel 10! He's trying to destroy them!" Thinking quickly, Bertie drove onto the line Diesel 10 was coming down on and stopped. "This'll stop him in his tracks for sure!"

But Bertie was wrong. Instead of slowing down, Diesel 10 sped up, an angry snarl on his face. As he was a few yards away from the level crossing, he screamed loudly "_GET OUT O MY WAY, BUS!"_

Then, with a sudden crash, the giant diesel hit the small bus without stopping. Bertie cried out as he spun around on the spot. His passengers screamed as they held onto their seats. After spinning three times, Bertie tilted over and landed onto his right side with a sickening thud, as his side dented and his windows smashed.

Further down the line, the chase was still going on. Up ahead was another signal box and junction on Edward and Gordon's line, which led to a corner away from the other lines.

But now, Diesel 10 had managed to catch up with Edward and Gordon, and was nearly level with them.

Diesel 10 sneered. "Say goodbye puffballs. You're not going anywhere now!"

Then suddenly, Edward cried out "Oh no! Gordon, look out!" For up ahead, he saw Toby with Henrietta on the same line as him and Gordon, heading towards them.

They approached each other in fear towards the junction. But just when they were about to crash, the signalman quickly changed the points, and Edward and Gordon changed tracks and headed down the line leading away from the one they had been travelling on.

Toby derailed on the points, as they were against him. But fortunately, Diesel 10 couldn't stop in time, and continues to race down his line. Henrietta stayed on the rails

"What was that, Toby?" She asked quietly in shock.

"That," Toby replied nervously "Was our old enemy, Diesel 10."

"Gordon! You did great!" Edward cried out happily, as Gordon continued to push him down the line they had been switched onto.

"I know!" Gordon replied proudly. "I always said I was fastest and best! I just proved it by outrunning Diesel 10, which reminded me, why is he on-"

But then, Edward interrupted by shouting "_GORDON! STOP!"_

Up ahead was a set of buffers; they had been switched onto a siding. Gordon slammed on his brakes, but it was too late.

He pushed Edward into the buffers, which broke beneath his wheels. Edward fell onto his left side and slid along the grass on his side before slowing to a stop His tender stayed upright. Gordon then came off the tracks and onto the grass. He slid along on his wheels, then slowed to a stop, before both he a his tender fell onto their left side.

"Well, Gordon," Edward gasped. "You may have made us crash. But you're a true hero; you saved both our lives. Thank you very much."

Gordon's only response was a tired wheesh of steam.

**Sorry to have kept you waiting for this chapter. I've had a pretty stressful week, especially now that I'm back in school, and have even less time to write. But I have not forgotten this story, and will find time to write.**


	12. Problems

Over in England, the sun was now starting to set. The sky was changing from being clear blue to a bright orange, as the sun began to slowly sink.

In a large office in King's Cross Station, the Fat Controller was sat at a table, feeling rather bored. His friend, Howard Andrews, was stood up, droning on and on about how he couldn't persuade his engines to do their work.

The Fat Controller wasn't really listening much, and just looking around the office, which had a desk with a few railway books and a telephone. The desk was in front of the far was, which displayed a map of the region. A window the on the wall on the right showed the bustling platforms of the station. Next to the door entering the office, a hat stand stood, holding the Fat Controller's top hat.

"I've already told you," sighed the Fat Controller, feeling annoyed. "You need to shut your steam engines in their shed."

"But, Sir Topham," Andrews whined. "My diesel engines keep breaking down." Andrews was in his forties, but all the stress he was currently going though was causing him to lose some of his short black hair.

"Well, then, you need to tell the steam engines that you need them."

"But they refuse. They won't do what I say."

"Well, I've tried explaining to you several times, but you won't take my advice," sighed the Fat Controller. "So I don't see the point in me trying to help you."

"No, Sir Topham!" Andrews cried. "I really need you. I can't work without you! Please!"

"Okay," replied the Fat Controller reluctantly. "But you really need to tell you're steam engines that you need them."

"But how can I?" Andrews complained impatiently. "They won't do what I say!"

"You're the controller of the railway. They should do what they're told."

"I keep telling them that! But they don't seem to care. They think-"

But before Andrews could continue, he was interrupted by the telephone which started ringing. He walked to his desk and picked up the receiver on the third ring, his hand trembling.

"Hello, King's Cross Station." Andrews paused for the response, then took the receiver from his ear and turned to the Fat Controller.

"It's your wife."

The Fat Controller stood up, walked over to Andrews, took the receiver and held to his ear, while Andrews sat at the table.

"Hello, dear, how are you?"

"I'm fine Topham, but there's something you should know," came Lady Hatt's worried voice. "It's an emergency."

"What is it?"

"Your friend, Gerald, was involved in a serious car accident. He's in hospital, unconscious."

"Never?! Is he okay," asked the Fat Controller, feeling worried.

"I've spoken to the people at the hospital. He has a nasty wound on his head, but he will live.

"There's something else too you should know," Lady Hatt went on. "I've received a lot of telephone calls from the people working on the railway. There's a lot of damage everywhere; destroyed sheds, walls, and even engines having lots of accidents."

"What's causing it all?"

But no one knows. But I think you'd better come back to Sodor," exclaimed Lady Hatt. "I've telephoned Dryaw airfield, and they are going to send Harold to collect you from London airport."

"Okay, dear, I'll be ready. See you later." And the Fat Controller put down the telephone. "Sorry, Howard, I've got to go."

"_Go?! _Where?!"

"Strange accidents are happening on my railway. I must investigate and stop it if I can."

"_No!_" Andrews cried. "What about the problems on _my _railway! I need-"

"Sorry, Howard," apologised the Fat Controller. "You have your own problems on your railway – but I have mine too, which is a lot more serious than your's. I must go. Goodbye." And the Fat Controller disappeared out of the door to the office, but not before seizing his top hat off the hat stand and putting it on his head as he left.

Back on Sodor, some of the steam engines were gathered at Croven's Gate. The signalman who had diverted Edward and Gordon into the siding had telephoned for help. Henry had brought Rocked to lift Edward, Gordon and Toby back onto the rails, and taken them to Croven's Gate for repairs. Now, Edward, Gordon and Toby were parked outside the work sheds, with Duck still on his flatbed where Edward had parked him, and Henry parked alongside them. They were also joined by Thomas, Percy and James.

"So, as we all know by now; Diesel 10 is back on Sodor," exclaimed Edward.

"Yes, but what does he want?" retorted James.

"Isn't it obvious?" grumbled Gordon. "He's trying to _destroy_ us, James! Though looking at the state some of us are in now, he needn't have bothered trying."

"We need to stop him, but how?" asked Toby.

"Thomas, couldn't you remind him about how steam engines and diesels working together is important," asked Percy. "Like you did when we all built the airport, and needed his help."

"Whatever it was that made Diesel 10 nice then," sighed Thomas. "It's obviously not there now. We know by now he isn't nice. I don't know what we can do to stop-"

Then, all of a sudden, an idea flew into Thomas' funnel. He gasped in amazement.

"What's wrong Thomas?" Percy asked, puzzled.

"Hang on! I _do_ know how to stop Diesel 10!" cried Thomas, beaming. "But first, I must go to the mountains."

"The mountains!" All the engines cried in unison.

"What can help us is in the mountains," Thomas exclaimed. "I must go there."

"Let me come with you, Thomas," said Percy. "If something happens to you, I'll be able to help you."

"Well, if you two are going to the mountains," said Edward. "You'll need a big engine to help you. Although," he went on, looking at Toby, Gordon and Duck. "I won't be able two, and neither will these three."

"I'd go," put in Henry. "But I'm sure now that it was Diesel 10 who tried to crush me with the shed. I'm scared to go out there, in case he will succeed in destroying me this time," he whimpered.

"_Ha!_" snorted James. "How typical of a big engine to be scared of some smelly old diesel."

"Alright then, James," said Duck. "_You _go then!"

"_Me?!_" gasped James. "But…but…I'm not a big engine!"

"Well, you always boasted to us that you were," smirked Thomas cheekily.

"And besides," added Percy, grinning. "I'm sure if there's one thing that a splendid red engine like you like you can do, its help two small tank engines who can't do what you can."

At these words, James gave up. "Alright, but I hope you two appreciate me sticking out my funnel to protect you two."

"Thanks, James, we do appreciate it," smiled Thomas.

"You won't regret it," Percy smiled too.

"_Really? _Well I already am!" sulked James.

Thomas, Percy and James were all on the same line. So James buffered up behind Percy. Then they both puffed forward and buffed up behind Thomas.

"The rest of you stay here," Thomas told them. "Just in case Diesel 10 is wandering around."

"Okay. Good luck!" called Edward.

"And be careful!" warned Toby.

"Don't we'll be fine," smiled Percy.

"We had better be," muttered James.

"We'll be back and stop Diesel 10!" Thomas called. "See you all later.

"With that, Thomas, Percy and James each gave two blasts on their whistles and puffed away.

"Good luck!" The other engines called; as they watched their friends disappear around the corner, as they began their journey to the mountains.

**Here's the new chapter, with apoligises for this being the longest waiting time for you. This delay was done by alot of stress in my life, I apoligise. But I have not forgotten about the story.**


	13. Journey To The Mountains

Thomas, Percy and James, all coupled together, left Croven's Gate behind.

"So which is the best way to the mountains?" asked Percy.

"We need to first go through Edward's station," explained Thomas. "Then we need to go through the country side. And then, we'll come to the rocky track which leads to the top of the mountains."

"I just hope we survive this," sighed James.

They came to a junction, which was set to go through Edward's station. They crossed the junction and made their why along the line.

The line ran past a goods yard. As they were about to pass the goods yard, Thomas suddenly stopped. Percy and James bumped into each other.

"What the-?" James began angrily, but was silenced by a "Shhh!" from Thomas. James and Percy looked towards the goods yard - only just being able to see being coupled behind another engine - to see why Thomas had stopped - and they shuddered in fear.

There was Diesel 10, in front of a small brick engine shed, facing it, thinking there was a steam engine inside, which there was.

"Is there a little puffball inside?!" he bellowed.

"I-I-It's D-Diesel 10!" Percy squeaked quietly.

"I know you're in there!" Diesel 10 called into the shed. There wasn't actually an engine inside, but he thought there was one, hiding.

"If we move, he'll hear us puffing, and while destroy us," shivered James.

The three steams watched as the evil diesel raised his claw.

"If you don't come out by the time I count to three, I will destroy this shed, then you!"

"Quick," Thomas whispered quickly. "When the shed breaks up, we'll rush away."

"One…"

"The sound of the crashing will drown out our puffing."

"Two…"

"Will that work?" asked Percy nervously.

"Three!"

Without warning, Diesel 10 plunged his claw into the brickwork of the shed. There was a loud crunching sound as the bricks disintegrated.

While the sound of the bricks being destroyed was heard around the goods yard, Thomas, Percy and James quickly puffed past the goods yard as fast as their wheels could carry them, the sound of their puffing drowned out by the sound of the crashing.

Once they were away from the goods yard, they all let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Well, Percy, that _did _work after all," chuckled James.

"And a good thing too," Thomas added. "Come on. There's a level crossing ahead."

As the engines came up to the crossing, Thomas was about to cross it, when he stopped suddenly again, and gasped.

A dark green flatbed lorry was parked by the crossing, waiting for the engines to go by. On the back of the flatbed lorry, much to Thomas' shock, was Bertie.

But he didn't look like Bertie. His bright red paint had been badly scratched all over, and his windows had all been smashed.

"Bertie!" Thomas gasped. "What happened to you?"

Bertie sadly told Thomas about what happened when Diesel 10 hit him at the other level crossing. "So I'm taken to be repaired. Where are you three going?"

"We're going to the mountains," exclaimed Percy. "Thomas says he knows-"

But Percy was then cut short but a loud honking noise. The driver of the flatbed lorry was tooting his horn and shaking his fist.

"Come on! Get a move on, you engines! You're causing a hold up!"

"Oops! Sorry Bertie. "We've got to go. Goodbye. Hope you'll be better soon," said Thomas. Then he, Percy and James went on their way.

They went through Edward's station, and into the open countryside. The line ran by a lot of trees leading into the woods.

For a while, the engines ran smoothly, not saying anything. Then, suddenly, Thomas cried out; there was a tree fallen on the line ahead! He slammed on his breaks just in time.

"Oh, what's the matter now?!" complained James sulkily.

"There's a tree on the line," replied Thomas. "We can't go any further."

"Not if I can help it," called a voice. The engines were surprised, and then they heard a chuffing sound, then a whistle. Then, they noticed Trevor, puffing along by the side of them. He stopped by the fallen tree. Some workmen walked up to him.

"I'll move this tree easily," he smiled at them. The engines smiled too.

The workmen fastened a strong chain, one end onto the back of Trevor, and the other around the tree. "All right, Trevor," one said. "Take it away,"

With two toots on his whistle, Trevor slowly started to haul the tree off the line. The tree was very heavy, and Trevor couldn't go very fast. So hauling the tree took a while, but at last, he finally managed to haul the tree of the line.

"Thank you, Trevor," smiled Percy. Then the three engines whistled, and went on their way.

After travelling for about six miles, the engines approached a signal box and a junction. As they came to the junction, Thomas stopped yet again. But this time, he saw something which was a good sign to him.

The line was set to go straight ahead and further into the countryside. However, the other line led to a rocky and bumpy line which led up to the top of the mountains.

"We're nearly there," exclaimed Thomas. "We just need to go up that mountain." He whistled out, and then the signalman working in the signal box came out and stood at the top o the steps leading to the door.

"Please, Sir," said Thomas, "Could you switch the points so we can go up the mountain."

The signalman nodded, but was concerned. "That track hasn't been used for years. Be very careful. You could easily derail, and ending up rolling down the side of the mountain."

"We'll be fine," replied Thomas confidently, though James and Percy felt a little uncomfortable at the signalman's warning.

The signalman went back inside, and shortly, the points were switched, leading to the mountains.

"Come on," whistled Thomas, and together, three engines puffed along the track, and slowly puffed along the rocky line leading to the mountains.

For a while, they puffed along without problems, but then they were shaken about. Then, they sound the sloping line steeper than they thought. James and Percy slipped backwards, and Thomas felt the weight of the two engines on his coupling.

"Come…on…" he wheezed, pulling the engines up the slope. But they were a lot heavier to pull than trucks and coaches. Thomas tried hard, but was losing steam. "We…can't…do…it…" he puffed wearily.

"Yes we can!" Percy shouted, and he pushed Thomas forward, and pulled James. "We have to save Sodor!"

Percy continued to push Thomas and pull James up the steep track. Both Thomas and James were impressed. "Well done, Percy!" Thomas praised. "You're doing it. I can just see the top!"

But then, Percy started to slow down. He was too tired to push Thomas and pull James up the track. "I…can't…do…it…" he panted. "Too…heavy…" Then, slowly, the three engines started to slowly roll down the track.

This annoyed James. He had come this far on a bad journey to save Sodor. He was this close to finishing it. They couldn't stop now. "Oh, do I have to do _everything_ for you?" He yelled angrily, then suddenly charge forward, pushing Thomas and Percy up the mountain. James pushed as hard as he could, nearly busting his boiler, until and last, first Thomas, then Percy, and him last, made it to the flat surface of the top of the mountain.

"Well done, James!" Percy cried happily. "We made it."

James was far too tired to answer, but he smiled.

Then, the three engines suddenly hear a voice speak.

"Hello, Thomas."

James and Percy were puzzled, but Thomas, in hope, looked ahead – and there he saw who he had come for.

A little in front was them was a small tank engine, facing him and smiling at him. She was painted a purple-red colour, with her smokebox, dome, buffers headlamps and the top of her funnel in gold.

On each of her sides, written in gold, was the name 'Lady'.

* * *

**So Lady is back! She was who Thomas had figured could help them stop Diesel 10. So now that he found her, will Sodor be saved? **


	14. Conversation Up The Mountains

"Hello, Lady," Thomas greeted her warmly, smiling. James and Percy, being coupled behind Thomas, couldn't see her, but were surprised that she was there. None of them had not seen Lady for a long time.

"What brings you all the way up these mountains?" Lady asked them curiously.

"The Island of Sodor needs your help," replied Thomas. "We just had to find you."

"Oh, really?" asked Lady, surprised. "Why me? And how did you know to find me here?"

"Some time ago, all the steam engines and diesels were supposed to be building an airport. But we were just fighting each other, instead of doing work. Then one night, I had a dream about you, telling me that steamies and diesels had t work together. You were up here in the mountains."

"I wondered how Thomas came up with that idea then," James whispered to Percy, giggling. "I knew he couldn't have thought of it himself."

"Well, you've found me alright," replied Lad to Thomas, smiling. "But what's happening now? And why do you need me?"

So Thomas explained to Lady everything, from when the Fat Controller announced that he was leaving Sodor to hearing about Diesel 10 arriving and causing destruction on Sodor.

"We even saw him for ourselves," added Percy. "He nearly scared my smokebox off."

"So we were hoping that you would come and stop him," finished Thomas. "The Island of Sodor is in danger, Lady. And we need you to save it."

For a while, Lady remained silence, being lost in thought. Thomas wondered why she hadn't agreed immediately, as he had hoped.

Eventually, Lady spoke; "I will gladly help you – but I don't see why you badly need me."

"_WHAT?!_" Thomas couldn't believe what he had heard. He was very shocked. So were James and Percy.

"So you're saying that after the very hazardous journey I had to go on, which no other engine in their right mind would go on," James yelled angrily, "to get to you, only for you say you won't save Sodor and just let that smelly diesel destroy us all!"

"_NO!_" Lady shouted angrily. "I would never just let Diesel 10 destroy Sodor!" Then she sighed, unhappily. "I will help you if I can, but I'm sure I will just be destroyed to."

"Why's that?" Percy asked quietly.

"Need I remind you that Diesel 10 really wanted to have me destroyed?" He attempted it twice. The first time, he just resulted in crashing me, so he nearly succeeded. The second time, he almost destroyed not only me, but Thomas too. And if it hadn't been for the crumbling viaduct, he might have succeeded."

Thomas was very disappointed. "But I really believed you were the one engine who could stop Diesel 10."

"I'm the one engine Diesel 10 really wants to destroy," Lady replied. "And anyway, if there's one engine who could really stop him – it's you Thomas!"

"_ME?!" _For the second time since he'd arrived up the mountains, Thomas was surprised by what he heard.

"Why Thomas?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, Thomas can't stop Diesel 10!" James added. "He's just a little silly engine who wouldn't last two seconds against Diesel 10!"

Normally, Thomas would have argued with James for being called a silly little engine, but he agreed with what he said about not being able to stop Diesel 10. "I'm no match for a powerful evil diesel with a giant claw, Lady. I couldn't save the Island of Sodor."

"Yes you can, Thomas," insisted Lady. "I believe in you. I remember when Diesel 10 tried to destroy me the second time. He really wanted me destroyed at first - but you had him chase you as well, so you could see that I would be safe. And as you told me just now, you managed to get the steam engines and diesels to work together. And you even survived going through a flooding abandoned mine. So if you can do all that, you can be the engine to save Sodor."

Thomas remained silent for a while, thinking about what Lady was telling him. He really didn't think he could save the island, and he was half scared that tonight, he was going to be turned to scrap. But deep down in his boiler, he knew he had to do something. Even if he had to be destroyed, he had to think of the safety of Sodor and its steam engines, and whether or not he could stop Diesel 10, he had to try.

"You'll be destroyed Thomas!" Percy cried.

"And then, we all will," muttered James.

"Maybe," replied Thomas. "But I can't just sit here and let Diesel 10 destroy the island. I have to try and do what I can. My safety isn't important now – but those of every steam engine are."

"Don't worry, Thomas," smiled Lady. "I really don't think you'll be destroyed by Diesel 10. I believe you'll stop him and save every steam engine. You have a big heart, and I know you won't Diesel 10 do that to them. And I will help you to stop him. Remember what you taught everyone during the second time Diesel 10 tried to destroy me; little engines can do big things."

This made Thomas feel a little bit more confident, but he was secretly still nervous that he would be turned into scrap iron. But he put on a brave smile to hide this. "Well, what are we waiting for?! Come on Lady! I have to stop Diesel 10."

"Well, can you pull me back?" Lady asked. "I've no coal or water, and my fire is out."

"Oh, well then, we'll take you to the coaling plant," exclaimed Thomas. "And we'll fill you up with coal and water there, and have your fire lit there. Then we'll arrange what we'll do from there."

So the three male engines puffed forward to Lady. Thomas buffered up to her and coupled on. Then, he, Percy and James puffed backwards, pulling Lady along.

They had to go every careful back down the mountain, partly because of how steep they had realised it was when they came up, and partly because James was leading them back, but because he was puffing backwards, he was unable to see where they were going.

They went slowly down with their brakes slightly on to prevent gravity from making them roll down too fast, and made their way down slowly but surely.

They eventually made it to the bottom, and made their way along the track the male engines came along with no problems.

They puffed along in silence. None of them was feeling cheerful. Thomas was very nervous that when he was supposed to save Sodor, he had a feeling that he was on his last journey. Percy was dreadfully nervous to, fearing that Diesel 10 his best friend was going to turn his best friend into scrap. James was both annoyed and nervous; annoyed that Lady was sending Thomas to stop Diesel 10, when he was sure he wouldn't stand a chance, and nervous that he himself was going to be destroyed.. And Lady was dreadfully nervous about seeing the diesel that was bent on having her destroyed for so many years.

* * *

**No action at all in this chapter. Just a conversation between Thomas, Percy, James and Lady, with references to Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Calling All Engines and The Great Discovery. The action will return in the next chapter, where the big showdown begins. **


	15. Class 08 Shunters Attack

By the time darkness fell, Thomas, Percy, James and Lady had arrived at a coaling plant. Lady was taking on water from a water tower, and a worker in the yard had lit her fire, filled her bunker with coal, and was now steaming her up.

Thomas, James and Percy had used a turntable in the yard so they were facing the right way, for they had had enough of travelling backwards. James and Percy were on separate lines, next to each other, while Thomas was on the same line as Lady, in front of her.

Once the worker had Lady steamed up, he left, leaving the engines alone in the yard.

"Now," announced Thomas, "we need to plan to stop the diesels. While Diesel 10 is behind all of this, I'm sure Diesel, 'Arry and Bert are causing trouble for him too."

"So what do we do?" asked Percy.

"Percy, James, you go along your lines and keep an eye out for them," ordered Thomas. "Lady and I will look out for Diesel 10."

"Oh, good," sighed James. "We're looking for the diesels without claws. We'll have a chance of not getting destroyed."

"Take care, Thomas," warned Percy, feeling worried.

"Don't worry, Percy. We'll be fine," smiled Thomas bravely. "Off you go now, and be careful,"

With that, Percy and James followed their lines out of the coal yard, while Thomas and Lady followed their own and were separated from their friends.

For a while, James and Percy saw nothing for a while, and were just following their tracks through the dark countryside, their lamps lighting the way.

"Well," sighed James, "it looks like we're being sent down here for nothing, because there's no sign of the diesels. But at least we won't get destroyed."

"True," replied Percy unhappy, "but if we don't find them, then that means they might all be with Thomas and Lady."

They approached a turn in the tracks, and as they did, they screeched to a halt.

Their lines came to junctions, which led to either further don the line, or into sidings beside the lines. The two steam engines could see 'Arry and Bert in a siding each. But they weren't alone. 'Arry had Mavis trapped between himself and the buffers, and Bert was doing the same to Boco.

"'Ow's this for a good catch, 'Arry?" sniggered Bert. "We've got the good diesels,"

"Won't Diesel 10 be 'appy?" 'Arry snickered.

"Let us go!" Mavis cried. "I mean it, you-"

"Shut up!" snapped 'Arry. "You'll make good scrap for us! You're no better than those steam engines!"

James and Percy looked on in shock. Then, without realising what they were doing, they charged forward, whistling loudly. 'Arry and Bert were surprised to see them. The two steam engines raced over the points on the lines they were on and into the sidings.

James raced towards Bert and Percy whooshed towards 'Arry. Then the two steam engines banged the Class 08 shunters (but not too hard, because they knew they would send Boco and Mavis through the buffers) then they reversed quickly out of the sidings.

'Arry and Bert were very angry and immediately set chase. "We'll be back for you!" They called to Mavis and Boco as they left the sidings.

James and Percy reversed back up the line in fright, watching in terror, as the two diesels chased them with angry expressions in their faces.

"I can't believe we jumped in to save two diesels!" James cried.

"Me neither," Percy cried back. "But at least they were good diesels! So we had to help them!"

"Yeah! And now, we're gonna destroy you!" 'Arry called, as he and Bert revved up their engines and went faster. James and Percy reversed faster too, keeping a moving gap between them and the diesels.

Just then, they raced towards a signal box and a junction that was on Percy and 'Arry's line. The points were set to go straight on up the line. The other line led to a siding where some box vans were parked.

The signalman looked out of the window, and was a bit puzzled at the four engines travelling together, two on each line. Thinking it was all a mistake, he waited until Percy passed the points, then he switched them so that they led into the siding.

'Arry was sent speeding into the siding. He cried out as he headed towards the box vans. He slammed on his breaks, but it was no good, as he crashed into the box vans, which broke to smithereens. The impact sent 'Arry off the rails and onto his side.

But James and Percy couldn't rest. Bert, not caring about 'Arry continued to chase James along his line. Percy kept reversing too. Though he was safe from 'Arry, he was worried Bert would destroy him to if he stopped.

Presently, they approached yet another junction, this time on James' line. This junction was set to go down the other line instead of straight. James reversed across the points and down the other line and Bert gave chase, both of them leaving Percy behind, so he stopped and gasped for breath.

James kept reversing down the line, looking at Bert in fright as the diesel kept following him.

Then, the track went along the side of a hill. James reversed around a corner as Bert disappeared from sight. But then, James started to feel tired, and started to so down. He went slower and slower…

_CLUNK!_

Suddenly, James stopped as he felt something against his rear buffers. Then, to his horror, he realised he had reached a dead end. Then, looking around, he realised where he was.

He was high above the tip, where trucks of ore were taken, and their loads were dumped down the hillside.

Then all of a sudden, Bert appeared from around the corner, and grinned sinisterly. James was trapped.

"I'm gonna enjoy destroying you," Bert smirked, moving slowly towards James. "By the time I'm finished with you, you'll be nothing but a pile of rusty red scrap iron."

With eyes full of fear, James watched Bert moving towards him. He didn't feel splendid now. He felt alone and helpless. There was nothing he could do. Bert moved closer and closer…

Then all of a sudden, the part of the track Bert was on tilted on the slope, and Bert, crying out in terror, fell off the track, onto his side and all the way down the slope, landing in the tip with a crash.

James looked down where the diesel had landed, and for a while was speechless. Then from around the hillside, he heard another diesel coming towards him, and was scared again, fearing it was another diesel to finish him off. But when the diesel came into view, James saw it was Boco.

"Are you alright, James?" Boco could see James was in shock. "You were very brave, James. Thanks for saving me."

James came out of his shock, and grinned. "Well, you may be a buzz-box diesel sometimes, but at least you like us steam engines."

James then buffered up to Boco, and together they went back up the line. They came back to the points where Percy was.

"Are you alright, James?" Percy was concerned for his friend.

"I'm fine! We just out-smarted those diesels!" Then James went with Boco up the line, and Percy followed them. But then, they came to the points on Percy's line and the siding where 'Arry had crashed. The diesel was lying on his side, groaning in pain. He didn't seem to notice them.

James and Boco went on up the line, but the points were still leading into the siding, and so were against Percy. Just then, Mavis appeared on the other side of the points.

"Percy! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! As you can see, 'Arry isn't though." Then Percy whistled to the signalman. "Can you please change the points for me?"

The very confused signalman nodded. He changed the points, and Percy puffed over then and buffered up to Mavis. Then they went up the line together.

"Percy, thank you so much for saving me! I appreciate it."

"Hey, don't worry about it! You're nothing like those other diesels. I know you're a little cheeky – but then again – so am I!"

* * *

**James and Percy are the heroes of this chapter, stopping 'Arry and Bert and saving the goods diesels, Mavis and Boco, from them. But the main villians, Diesel and Diesel 10 are still out! But we shall see Thomas and Lady attempt to stop them in the next two chapters, as we are getting near the final showdown.**

**On an off-topic note, I've updated my profile, and it now has a part where updates to stories are made. Feel free to take a look.**


	16. Encouragement

By now, Thomas and Lady had arrived at the yards, and were approaching Croven's Gate.

All was very quiet in the yards. The only sounds the two engines could hear were their own puffing.

"There's no sign of Diesel 10," remarked Lady quietly.

"Then we'd better check to see how the other engines are," replied Thomas.

So the two engines pulled up to the work sheds where Gordon, Henry, Edward, Toby and Duck were. They were all chatting, when they looked up in surprise to see Thomas back with Lady.

"Hi," said Thomas smiling. "Are you all okay? You haven't been attacked by Diesel 10?"

The other engines didn't answer. They were staring at Lady in silence, stunned looks on their faces. Lady was aware that they were staring at her, and felt rather uncomfortable about it.

At last, Edward broke the silence. "Thomas, this is who you went for to help us - Lady?"

"Yes. Aren't you glad of that? I knew Lady could help us, and she is prepared to. So you should be happy that-"

"Thomas!" Toby interrupted. "Lady is the engine Diesel 10 has always wanted to destroy! Haven't you forgotten that?"

"Um, well, no, Toby," Thomas replied, feeling embarrassed.

"So much for being so sure that you could find help to stop Diesel 10, Thomas!" scoffed Gordon crossly. "If he sees Lady, he'll destroy her within two seconds. You're just adding coal to the fire, Thomas!"

"Or you could say, adding fuel to the fuel tank," put in Henry. "Since Diesel 10 is a diesel engine."

"Yes, well, I really thought that you just might be able to help us Thomas!" huffed Gordon. "But you've let us all down, and now all the steam engines are doomed! Still, that's what happens when you send a silly little tank engine to try to save Sodor."

This made Thomas upset, but it made Lady cross. "No, Gordon! You're wrong! Thomas will not let us down! He was so determined to save the railway! That's why he came all the way to find me! I may the engine who Diesel 10 badly wants to destroy, but that won't stop me from trying. And I don't think I'll fail either, because I have the really useful engine, who will do whatever it takes to save Sodor, by my side."

Lady then looked at Thomas, who was still feeling offended by Gordon's remark. "Remember what you taught everyone the last time we defeated Diesel 10, Thomas; little engines can do big things."

"I do remember," whispered Thomas quietly. "But Lady-"

"But nothing, Thomas. You were so determined to prove that point the last time we battled against Diesel 10. And in all determination, you did!"

"That's right Lady, I did," remarked Thomas, his confidence growing back.

"And if you proved it once, I believe you'll prove it again! Same I know that tonight, you'll stop Diesel 10 for the second time! I believe in you, Thomas." Lady then looked at the other engines. "We all believe in you, don't we?"

Duck smiled. "You may not be Great-Western like me, Thomas, but I know you'll show that big diesel what steam engines can do better."

"Yeah, I don't think size matters," added Henry. "You may be a small tank engine Thomas, but you have a big heart."

"That's why you're a lot stronger than you look, Thomas," encouraged Toby. "That's all the strength you need."

"Do this for us, Thomas," smiled Edward. "Go ahead and show Diesel 10 that a bigger heart always defeats bigger size and strength."

Then Duck, Henry and Toby cheered in agreement. But Gordon was still not impressed. "Pah! You'd all say that because you're smaller than me! But I know otherwise, because like I said the last time we were fighting against Diesel 10; I'm a big blue engine who knows everything!"

"Then be prepared to discover that you really don't know everything, Gordon," replied Thomas proudly, his confidence finally coming back. "But don't worry. Tonight, you'll learn that little engines can do big things."

"That's the spirit, Thomas," smiled Lady. "Come on, now! Let's go stop Diesel 10!"

"See you later," Thomas said to the other engines. "I'll do my best to stop Diesel 10. But if I shall fail, I want to tell you that you are all good friends. Even you Gordon – but please don't brag about me if I should fail."

"You won't fail, Thomas," smiled Edward. "But be careful, all the same."

"We will. Goodbye." And with that, Thomas and Lady left the sheds and made their way to find Diesel 10."

"Such brave engines," smiled Toby proudly. "They will not let us down tonight!"

"No!" Henry, Edward and Duck replied in unison. Gordon said nothing. He was in fact very worried about Thomas and Lady, fearing their journey to find Diesel 10 would be their last. But he didn't feel dignified to admit his concern to the other engines.

Thomas and Lady continued to search across the yards for Diesel 10, but the big diesel was nowhere in sight.

"You don't suppose he's left Sodor?" Lady suggested hopefully, after they had been searching some sidings, only to find several kinds of trucks.

"I doubt it. You know once Diesel 10 has his mind on something, nothing distracts him. But not to worry," replied Thomas proudly. "There's nowhere he can hide from us, and once we find him, we'll show-"

_CLUNK!_

But before Thomas got and further, he was interrupted by a loud bang as something bumped Lady from behind, followed by a shriek of fright from her, followed by a remark in an oily voice.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the engine Diesel 10 badly wants to destroy! He will be pleased!"

"Diesel!" Thomas cried! "Let's get out of here Lady!" And together, the two steam engines ran ahead, as Diesel gave chase.

"You can't run forever! And when I catch you, I'll take you to Diesel 10! Then he'll destroy you - right after he's destroyed you're little purple friend!"

"Huh?!" exclaimed Thomas while still puffed as fast as he could. "You mean Rosie?"

"Of course! He's got her captured right now, and he's going to destroy her! And he's looking forward to it!"

Suddenly, Thomas slammed on his breaks, and screeched to a halt. Lady bumped into the back of him and stopped.

"What are you doing?" she hissed! "He's going to catch us!"

"Oh no!" Thomas cried out, pretended into be frightened. "I've run out of water."

Diesel then buffered up behind Lady and smirked. "Oh good. Now I can take you to Diesel 10!" With that, he started to push the two engines down the line.

Thomas was feeling pleased, but Lady was outraged. "Thomas, look what you've done!" She whispered, quiet enough so Diesel couldn't hear, but loud enough so that Thomas could. "Now Diesel's captured us and we're being taken to Diesel 10!"

"Well, now we'll be able to defeat him once we find him," Thomas whispered back. "And besides, if Diesel 10 has Rosie capture, then I have to save her. I can't let him destroy her, because I lo- er, because she's my friend."

All Thomas and Lady could do was be pushed up the line by Diesel and listen to him tell them what Diesel 10 would do to them.

They just hoped that what Diesel was telling them wouldn't turn to reality.

* * *

**The long-awaited sixteenth chapter. Sorry for the wait.**

**So now, Diesel has captured Thomas and Lady, and is taking them to Diesel 10. Will they be able to stop him, or will they be destroyed? Stay tuned for the final showdown!**


	17. Final Showdown

"And so you steam engines will be destroyed – and we diesels will conquer Sodor!" Diesel exclaimed for the umpteenth time, as he pushed the two steam engines into a large railway yard.

"Gee, that's really something," replied Thomas sarcastically.

"Ooh, you're so cheeky Thomas. I tell you, I won't miss hearing you cheek me once you're destroyed.

Thomas was just about to reply – when suddenly, he heard a loud shriek near by, followed by a booming evil laugh. "What was that?"

"Sounds like Diesel 10 torturing your purple friend. He'll be so pleased to see you again Thomas. And he'll be pleased to see you too." Diesel sneered to Lady, who was feeling a little nervous by now.

Diesel pushed the captives along the line which ran by a large engine shed. Another scream was then heard, much louder than the last one. As Diesel pushed up to the end of the engine shed, Thomas and Lady saw their worse nightmare.

There was the great evil diesel, laughing loudly and snapping his claw open and shut. And if that wasn't enough of a terrible sight for Thomas, he saw something else that made him gasp.

Facing diesel was Rosie. She was shaking from smoke box to bunker, watching the claw snap menacingly, about to have her in it's grasp. Thomas saw the fear in her eyes. She was too frightened to run away or notice Thomas - much to his surprise.

"L-Leave m-me a-a-lone," she stuttered with fright.

"Oh, don't worry, my dear," the villainous diesel grinned sinisterly. "Once I've destroyed you, I'll leave your remains alone!"

Thomas found his tongue, and before he could stop himself, shouted to the big diesel. "You heard her! Leave her alone!"

"Thomas!" Rosie squeaked in surprise, noticing him with Lady and Diesel. Diesel 10 was equally surprised hen he looked at Thomas, making him feel very nervous.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little blue puffball! Long time, no see. Come to try and stop me, have you? Oh, and look! You've brought me the puffball I've been bent on having destroyed for so long! You gullible blue idiot! Did you really think she and you could stop me? You've just made things easier for me. And now, and I'm going to destroy you all!"

"I found them for you!" Diesel grinned. "Do I get rewarded?"

"_NO!_" Diesel 10 snapped angrily. "I don't have to reward you, Diesel!"

Diesel looked at him in annoyance. "But I'm trying to help you destroy steam engines, so we can take over Sodor."

"_WE?! _There is no 'we'! Do you really think I would share ruling Sodor with a pathetic little shunter?! No way! I will rule this island! No one else! I don't need you, pathetic little Diesel! And I will destroy you too! But first-" Diesel 10 slowly rolled his eyes to look at Rosie. "I will destroy-ARRRGGGHHH!!!!"

None of the engines had noticed that while the diesels were arguing, Rosie had already started reversing up the line. She was almost out of the yard, and onto the lines running through the woodland. But then Diesel 10 raced after her. "COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PINK PUFFBALL!!!!!!!"

"_ROSIE!_" Thomas cried, and suddenly raced away and quickly chased on after Diesel 10.

"Thomas! Wait!" Lady cried after him, and chased after him.

Diesel watched them leave in puzzlement. "I thought they ran out of water." Then Diesel revved up his engine and chased after them. "It doesn't matter. I'll see if I can destroy them _and_ Diesel 10. Then _I _will rule Sodor."

Thomas quickly drew level with Diesel 10. Rosie was reversing quickly in front of them, a wide moving gap between her and Diesel 10. "Thomas! Help me!"

"Keep running, Rosie!" Thomas cried. "You have to-"

"SHUT UP, PUFFBALL!" Diesel 10 quickly turned his claw towards Thomas, and made a grab for him - but Thomas quickly drew in front of the diesel – the claw only just missing him. Now with Thomas only just in front of him, Diesel 10 was very angry. "WHEN I CATCH YOU BOTH, YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT'LL HIT YOU!!!"

Just then, Lady drew level with Diesel 10. "You won't catch them! And you won't destroy us! We'll-"

But before she could finish, Diesel 10 swung his claw around and hit it into the side of Lady. She tilted over and landed on the side of her boiler beside the line.

Immediately, Thomas slammed on his brakes, and while Diesel 10 raced past him, he backed up to Lady. "Lady! Are you alright?!"

"Don't worry about me, Thomas. Stop Diesel 10! Save Rosie! Save Sodor!"

Then suddenly, Thomas heard a horn blast behind him. Knowing it was Diesel coming up fast, he shot off down the line and chased after Diesel 10, his pistons pumping harder than ever.

He could see up ahead that the line Diesel 10 and Rosie were on joined his. Thomas watched as Rosie switched onto his line, and then Diesel 10. Now with the diesel right in front of him, he couldn't see Rosie. Thomas crossed the points as the very confused signalman quickly switched the points so he could go along the line safely. All Thomas could do was follow Diesel 10 and hope to stop him somehow.

Then suddenly, Diesel 10 screeched to a halt. Thomas, taken by surprise, banged into the back of him, wondering what was going on.

What he couldn't see was that Diesel 10 had chased Rosie towards two sidings. Rosie was in one of them, right up at the buffers. The ends of the sidings were right on the edge of a cliff, below which was a large ravine.

Diesel 10 saw the points led to the siding she was in, and he could see he had her trapped. Knowing Thomas was behind him, he sneered. "Just watch little blue puffball, as I destroy your little girlfriend!"

"Thomas," Rosie whimpered, tears in her eyes. "Before I go, I want to tell you – I love you!"

Thomas was surprised, then he cried back to her; "I love you too, Rosie! I know I've ignored you and ran away from you all this time! But I do love you! You're such a sweet engine."

"Oh, how sweet," sneered Diesel 10 sarcastically. "Railway romance! You've both found out you share the same feelings! Too bad you won't be around anymore to share your loco love!"

At that moment, Diesel pulled up behind Thomas, wondering what was going on now. Diesel 10 revved up his engine, raised his claw, and snapped it open and shut, his eyes fixed on Rosie, not taking notice of anything else around him. Rosie shut her eyes in fright, awaiting her doom.

Then quickly, Diesel 10 shot forward towards the points leading to the siding she was in. Thomas watched helplessly in horror as he sped towards the points, waiting for him to destroy his love.

Then, all of a sudden, as Diesel 10 darted across the points, he suddenly diverted into the other siding. With a cry of surprise, he slammed on his brakes, but it was too late. With a mighty crunch, he crashed through the buffers. His front end dangled dangerously over the edge of the cliff.

Both Thomas and Rosie were stunned – though Diesel couldn't see anything, since Thomas was in front of him. Then, with a loud angry whistle, Thomas charged quickly forward, crossed the points, steamed up to the back of Diesel 10, and then - timing his braking just right – pushed Diesel 10 off the edge of the cliff.

A loud scream escaped from the evil diesel, as he fell down toward the ravine. Then suddenly, his scream was cut short by a tremendous smashing sound as he hit the ravine hard. The sound of bit and pieces breaking and flying followed, and then the loud noise died down to silence.

The next sound came from Thomas. "Have that, you dastardly diesel! Maybe now, you'll think twice of destroying steam engines when I'm around! So now you can't-"

Thomas' next words were drowned by the sudden blast of a horn. Diesel came charging into the sidings and was coming up behind him.

"Thomas! Look out!" Rosie cried – but it was too late. Diesel rammed into the back of Thomas, and shunted him off the edge of the cliff – but then Diesel rolled too far and fell off the cliff also.

"_NO, Thomas!_" Rosie screamed, but her cry was barely audible compared to the screams that came from Thomas and Diesel as they fell. Then, came the loud smashing sounds of them hitting the ravine with a loud crash, and then, there was complete silence.

* * *

**Nothing like a cliffhanger to conclude a chapter - but for this, I should rather say a cliff fall. Thomas managed to save Rosie and the rest of Sodor by pushing Diesel 10 off the cliff - but then Thomas fell victim to the cliff thanks to Diesel - who also fell too.**

**What is the fate of our blue steam-powered hero? Is this the end for Thomas the Tank Engine? Did he survive the fall? **

**No one knows, but me - but you will soon find out in the next few chapters, as we near the end of Saving Sodor.**


	18. Salvage Operation

Though the silence seemed like an eternity to Rosie, due to the shock she was in, it was broken after a few seconds as someone cried out. "Oh my goodness!"

Rosie was stunned, and looked around for who made the noise. She found out as she looked to where the points where, and standing there was none other than - the Fat Controller.

"Sir?" Rosie exclaimed surprised. "Where did you come from?"

"I landed here just now with Harold." The Fat Controller pointed to the left side of where they were, where Harold was standing on a helipad. Rosie saw that the helicopter was in shock to, and she guessed that he must have seen what had happened to Thomas, as well as the diesels.

"We saw you coming," continued the Fat Controller. "We watched as Diesel 10 chased you into the sidings. Did you not see me?"

Rosie told him that she hadn't. "I was too scared to notice you, sorry, Sir."

"Don't apologise. I expect you were. Thomas seemed very scared too; scared of what Diesel 10 was planning to do to you. And it seemed Diesel 10 was too fixed on you to notice me. So while he was bracing himself to destroy you, I ran over to the points and switched them so they led to the other siding."

"So you saved me?"

"Correction; Thomas saved you - and the rest of Sodor." The Fat Controller sighed. "But as we saw just now, Diesel pushed Thomas of the cliff - and also fell off himself." The Fat Controller put his hand to his forehead and shook his head. "It's my fault."

"No, Sir! It was Diesel who pushed Thomas off the cliff! You were making sure Diesel 10 didn't destroy me."

"Maybe." The Fat Controller sighed. "But now is not the time to dwell on it! I'd better go and call for a rescue team, to bring Thomas back to the rails. We'll have to bring the diesels back too, but I'll be sending Diesel 10 away. And if we can repair Diesel, once we have, he's going back to the Mainland."

The Fat Controller turned and started to walk towards Harold, but Rosie stopped him as she called after him. "Sir? Thomas...do you think...Thomas is okay."

The Fat Controller turned back to her, looking grave. "I'm afraid I couldn't answer that right now Rosie. I can't judge the damage Thomas took after that fall. We'll see if he's okay after we've salvaged him, and then see if he can be fixed."

The Fat Controller then boarded Harold, who then can out of his shock. As his blades started to whir, he smiled at Rosie. "Don't worry, Rosie. Thomas has had plenty of accidents before. And he's always been fixed and running again after them." With that, still smiling, Harold took off to the skies.

_Maybe,_ Rosie thought sadly. _But none of Thomas' accidents has been him falling off a cliff. He's had accidents which he's survived. And even if he's survived this one, he might not even be able to fix._

An hour later, Rosie watched as a large crane was now standing by the cliffs, it's base in the ravine. Some flood lights had been brought to light up the place.

The crane was now lifting something from the ravine. As it did, Boco reversed into the siding which Thomas, Diesel and Diesel 10 had fallen off the end of, a flatbed coupled behind him. He stopped when the flatbed was on the edge of the siding, standing next to Rosie. "Are you alright, Rosie?" He asked.

Rosie, still miserable after witnessing the engine she loved fall of the cliff, didn't answer.

At that moment, the crane lifted it's first salvaged load above them. As they were facing away from it, Rosie and Boco couldn't see what it was. But when the crane placed the load on the flatbed, Rosie saw what it was.

It was Diesel 10. But he looked more startling than ever. His paint was completely scratched all over, making him an ugly grey. His claw had completely come off, making him without his weapon. His windows had also been smashed. His eyes were closed.

He started to grunt, much to Rosie's fright. "I....can't...believe...it! Puffballs...foiled...my...plan...again!" Then his eyes suddenly jerked open. Rosie gasped with fright. The diesel's eyes turned to look at her and he snarled. "But I'll be back!" He growled through clenched teeth. "I'll come back and destroy you puffballs! You haven't heard the last of me!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on," said Boco, as he pulled out of the siding, the flatbed with Diesel 10 trailing behind him. "You won't be seeing another steam engine agin after tonight."

A short while after Boco left with Diesel 10, Mavis reversed into the siding where the engines had fallen off the end of, also with a flatbed coupled behind her. The crane was now lifting it's second load.

"Diesel 10 won't be bothering anymore steam engines now," said Mavis. "What do you think to that Rosie?"

Rosie still didn't reply. Mavis understood why and felt sorry for her. The quarry diesel was also worried about if Thomas was okay.

The crane unloaded it's second salvaged load. To Rosie's fright, it was Diesel. His black paint had been scratched and his front end was dented badly. He had broken a side rod and lost two of his wheels.

His eyes were closed at first, but then they slowly opened. "What...happened? Did I...destroy...Thomas?"

"Come on, Diesel," said Mavis. "We're going to see if you can be repaired. And if you can be, then once you are, you're going back to the Mainland.

And Mavis left with Diesel on the flatbed, and headed towards Croven's Gate.

Shortly afterwoods, Rosie was still in the sidings, when this time, James and Percy backed into the siding next to her. Percy was coupled behind James, and he had a flatbed coupled behind him. Rosie knew who this flatbed was for."

"We heard about what happened to Thomas," said James sadly to Rosie.

"I hope he's okay," added Percy miserably.

"We should be really be happy, because he saved Sodor," said James.

"But we can't be," replied Percy. "Because though Sodor is okay, Thomas may not be."

Rosie said nothing. She was every lost in thought.

Just then, the crane unloaded it's last load, and when Rosie saw it, she was horrified.

It was Thomas.

But he didn't looked liked Thomas. The side of his boiler had been ripped into, creating a hole; his dome was cracked; one of his wheels was bent; his cab roof was dented; his lamp and whistle were smashed. Most of all, his blue was badly scratched.

"Thomas," Rosie tearfully whispered. At that moment, the almost destroyed tank engine opened his eyes. He looked at Rosie and smiled.

"Hey, Rosie. Are you okay?"

"Not really. Look at you Thomas! You could have been destroyed."

"I couldn't let Diesel 10 do that to you," smiled Thomas.

"We're going to take you to Croven's Gate now," explained James.

"We sure hope you can be fixed," added Percy.

"Please be okay, Thomas," said Rosie sadly.

"I will. Don't worry Rosie. I'll be fine. Goodbye." Then Rosie watched through eyes full of tears as James and Percy pulled Thomas away.

Later that night, Rosie was puffing back to her shed. She was very miserable. She had been horrified when she saw the state Thomas was in, because he had saved her.

The line passed Tidmouth sheds. When the sheds came into view, Rosie saw that the only engines who usually slept there were Henry, James and Percy. But also with them were Boco, Mavis and Lady (who had been put back onto the rails by Rocky earlier that night).

"Hey, Rosie, we're filling up the spaces in the shed while the other engines are away." Boco called.

"Why don't you join us?" asked Mavis. "It's better than being on your own."

Rosie, who couldn't have felt more alone, agreed. She went onto the turntable, turned around, and back down into the one empty space in the shed that was between Percy and Lady.

"How are you feeling?" Percy asked. Rosie didn't answer.

"I saw the state Thomas was in," Lady told her. "I was very shocked! I didn't expect that to happen to him! We should all be happy now that he's saved Sodor. And then this happens. How did the engines down Croven's Gate react?"

"They were horrified," explained James. "They were in great shock, and I couldn't even snap them out of it by telling them that Sodor was now safe."

"Even Gordon was stunned when he saw Thomas," added Henry. "But he was sad, so he didn't boast about he was right."

Just then, the Fat Controller came to the sheds. "So while I've been away, Diesel 10 tried to destroy all steam engines."

"Yes," replied Henry.

"Well, as we all know by know, he was stopped by one steam engine that we all know - and that also got badly damaged in the process. Thomas is now at Croven's Gate, and we're trying to repair him."

"You can repair him, right Sir?" Percy asked nervously.

The Fat Controller looked up. "To be honest Percy, I'm not sure. The damage is terrible. Thomas may be beyond repair. If we can't fix - then only thing to do is to scrap him."

The engines said nothing. But they were very sad to hear this. To think that Thomas, their good friend who had just saved Sodor, could possibly be scrapped.

"The same goes for Diesel. If we can't fix him, then we'll scrap him too."

None of the engines cared about Diesel. They thought he deserved to be scrapped. He had tried to help Diesel 10 destroy the steam engines and he was the engine who pushed Thomas off the cliff.

"We'll just have to see how it goes," the Fat Controller concluded. "Try not to worry tonight and get some sleep. Goodnight."

The Fat Controller then departed. The engines fell into an uneasy sleep. All of them were very afraid. Thomas had risked his life to save Sodor - and his reward could turn out to be a one way trip to the scrapyard.

* * *

**Well, we know Thomas survived the fall - but is he going to be kept alive. There's a chance he - and Diesel - could be scrapped. Who knows what will happen to them? Again, only me.**

**The next chapter will reveal Thomas' fate, and the chapter which follows that will be the last chapter. **

**So I'll leave you know to wonder what the fate of the famous tank engine is.**


	19. Fate

The months passed. Work on the Island of Sodor continued as if nothing had happened. And there were no further disturbances from diesels.

As time went on, engines that had suffered damage were repaired and back to work. Gordon, Edward, Toby and Duck were soon back in good shape and working again. Bertie had also been repaired and was back on the roads again.

But Thomas had not been seen since the night Diesel had pushed him over the edge of the cliff. And because of this, the engines, rolling stock and vehicles were all feeling gloomy. They knew that if Thomas couldn't be repaired, off to the scrapyard he would go.

None of them were feeling cheerful at all. James was no longer concerned about how splendid his red paint looked. Bertie no longer felt like rushing along the roads, because it would remind him of when he and Thomas would race each other. Harold didn't boast to the engines about how he thought railways were slow. Gordon didn't even boast about setting a new speed record for Sodor.

But it was Rosie who was feeling most teerible. She was the one steam engine who had seen Thomas get pushed off by Diesel. And the Fat Controller was trying to repair Diesel as well as Thomas. Diesel deserved to be scrapped for what he did to Thomas. Thomas deserved to be repaired, because he didn't just save Rosie; he saved Sodor.

One evening, Rosie was helping Mavis shunt trucks at the quarry at the end of Thomas' branch line. Percy was actually the engine who should be doing this job, but he was doing Thomas' work, so Rosie had to do Percy's.

"Mavis," she said, "it's been a few months now since Thomas' accident. Do you think he will be repaired by now?"

Mavis sighed unhappily. "I don't know, Rosie. But one thing I do know is that the Fat Controller won't keep Diesel on the island now. So you won't have to worry about him bothering you anymore."

"That doesn't make it right!" Rosie snapped angrily. "This is all the diesels' fault! They wanted to destroy all steam engines! Well Thomas tried to stop them, and they tried to destroy him! And for all I know, they could have succeeded! Why did the Fat Controller have to have diesels! They're only good for destruction and nothing else! They're-" Rosie stopped, remembering she was in the presense of a diesel who was her friend. "Oh, Mavis, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean you, I meant-"

"That's okat, Rosie," Mavis smiled. "I know what you meant. Diesel 10, Diesel, 'Arry, Bert...no good comes from them except destruction. They're the worst diesels that have ever lived on Sodor."

Rosie sighed and shunted the last stone truck into place. "I'd better go now. My work for the day is done."

"Bye, Rosie," Mavis called as Rosie puffed out of the quarry.

As Rosie puffed along Thomas' branch line, she approached Elsbridge station. She could see that Percy was there with Annie and Clarabel.

"Hello, Percy," she called as she passed through the station. Percy didn't reply. He looked very sad. Rosie saw that the coaches were looking very sad too. Rosie knew the reason, and the thought of the reason made her sad again.

Rosie left Thomas' branch line and rejoined the main line. She stopped at a signal. James was coming towards her on the line next to her. He too was looking sad.

"Hello, Rosie," he called miserably. "I have to take this load to the scrapyard. You might not want to look." But as James passed her. Rosie looked at the load on the flatbed he was pulling.

And what she saw made her gasp and brought tears to her eyes.

On the flatbed were broken parts of a steam engine. There were two broken blue drive wheels, a cracked blue dome, a bent broken buffer, a snapped side rod, a smashed headlamp and a broken whistle, which, when blown, would make a whistle sound which everyone recognised, and would know the engine it belonged to.

Tears leaked from Rosie's eyes. She was devastated. Thomas had been scrapped. The workmen must have dismantled him, and what was left of him was on James' flatbed, which was to be delivered to the scrapyard.

Rosie puffed sadly along the line in tears. It was unfair. Thomas had saved the Island of Sodor and his reward was being scrapped. He didn't deserve that. Rosie would have right now given her right buffer to have the engine she loved back. And she wouldn't bother him again, no matter how much she loved him.

Rosie looked up, and stopped.

She was at the sidings on the edge of the cliff where Diesel had pushed Thomas off. Looking at these sidings brought the teerible night back into her mind. Rosie whimpered with sadness at the memory.

She saw that the points were leading into the siding where Thomas, along with Diesel and Diesel 10, had fallen off. The buffered that had been destroyed in the accident had not been replaced, and now there was nothing to stop any engines from falling off the cliff.

Rosie puffed slowly over the points and to the end of the siding. She looked over the edge of the cliff, down at the ravine below.

Thomas, the engine she loved, had been scrapped. There was no point in her being alive anymore. The only way for her to rejoin Thomas would be to destroy herself the same way Thomas did, and hope her remains would be dumped next to his in the scrapyard.

"Goobye, cruel world." She was about to puff quickly over the edge when-

"_Rosie! What are you doing?!_"

Rosie jerked backwards, and looked towards the main line which travelled by the sidings, where a shocked and angry Toby came puffing up.

"There's no point in me being alive now, Toby. Thomas has been scrapped."

Toby looked concerned and sad at her. "You loved him, didn't you?"

"Yes. And now that he's been scrapped, there's no point in my life. So I may as well destroy myself."

"Is that what Thomas would want?"

"Huh? What do you mean, Toby?"

"The reason Thomas had his accident was because he was trying to save you from being destroyed by Diesel 10."

Rosie looked down sadly. "So this is all my fault."

"Of course it isn't Rosie. But Thomas managed to save you. He wouldn't stop at anything until you were safe," the wise old steam tram explained. "If you destroy yourself, you're throwing what Thomas has done for you back at him."

Rosie felt ashamed of yourself. "You're right Toby. It would be selfish of me to destroy myself, after Thomas has been destroyed to save me." Tears leaked out her eyes again. "I'm sorry, Toby."

"It's okay, Rosie. You're still young." Toby smiled. "You still have alot to learn. Now, you'd better get back to Tidmouth Sheds.

And Rosie reversed sadly out of the sidings.

As darkness fell, Rosie made her way to Tidmouth Sheds. On the way, she came to Coven's Gate, and stopped by the entrance. "That's where Thomas went to. And that's where he got taken to pieces.

Just then, she heard a puffing noise coming out of the work shed. It sounded like an engine was coming out. The puffing noise got louder as Rosie heard the engine approach the entrance. But before it puffed out, it wheeshed a cloud of steam, which covered itself up, so Rosie couldn't see who it was.

The engine stopped by her, and Rosie waited for the steam to clear so she could see who it was.

The the steam finally cleared, Rosie gasped.

It was a small 0-6-0 tank engine with a fresh coat of blue paint, red stripes and a number '1' painted on it's side.

Rosie recognised it immeditly. It was the engine she loved. It was the engine who was known to be cheeky and fussy. It was the engine who had taken a huge accident to save Sodor, and had now been repaired and looked good as new.

It was the engine known as; Thomas the Tank Engine.

* * *

**Hooray! Thomas lives! Well, you didn't really think I was going to kill him off, did you?**

**I apoligise for the long wait of this chapter. I've had internet problems at home. It may take a while to write the next chapter - which will be the final chapter of the story. **

**Stay tuned for the final chapter of Saving Sodor.**


	20. Really Useful Engine

"_THOMAS!_" Rosie cried.

"Hello, Rosie," smiled Thomas.

Rosie was so surprised and happy, that she could hardly speak. "I...I th-th-thought...y-you were...scr-scr-scrapped!"

"Scrapped?" Thomas laughed. "Whatever made you think that? I look alright to you, don't I?"

"But I saw James take a load of your parts to the scrapyard!"

"Those parts were useless," explained Thomas. "They were no good, so the workmen got rid of them and gave me some new ones. They were able to repair me. Now I feel like a new engine!"

Rosie had never felt so happy. "Oh, Thomas! I'm so glad your okay!"

"Hey! You won't get rid of me that easily." Thomas laughed cheekily.

"I'm glad you're okay too, Thomas," said a voice. Thomas and Rosie looked to see that the Fat Controller had arrive.

"Thank you for having me be repaired, Sir," said Thomas gratefully.

"I thought for sure you were scrapped!" Rosie squeaked.

"Scrap you! After what you have done," chortled the Fat Controller. "Thomas! I could never scrap you. You have saved the Island of Sodor! You're a really useful engine!"

"Thank you, Sir," Thomas beamed proudly.

"What happened to the diesels, Sir?" asked Rosie.

"I had Diesel repaired and sent him back to the Mainland where he had come from. I also sent 'Arry and Bert with him. As for Diesel 10, he had his wheels taken away and was dumped in a rocky valley near a beach somewhere in England."

"Serves him right," giggled Rosie.

"You'd better go back to Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas," exclaimed the Fat Controller. "The engines will be glad to see you're okay. I have alot of work to do tonight. I'm going to make sure that everyone on Sodor knows what a really useful engine you are."

"Thank you, Sir," smiled Thomas. "I'll go back to the sheds now. Goodnight, Sir. Goodnight, Rosie." And Thomas puffed out of Croven's Gate and made his way to Tidmouth Sheds.

When he finally arrived at the sheds, all the engines gasped in surprise._"THOMAS!_" They cried in unison. Then they all blew their whistles and cheered as Thomas proudly used the turntable and backed into the one empty space in the sheds, surrounded by his friends Percy, James, Gordon, Henry, Edward and Toby.

"Welcome back, Thomas!" Percy peeped happily.

"Well done on saving Sodor!" James whistled.

"You proved me right; little engines _can _do big things!" Gordon tooted.

Thomas felt very proud. He had managed to save the steam engines of Sodor, and he was very happy to see how grateful they were. "Thank you, my friends."

"We're all glad to have you living with us on the railway," smiled Edward.

"And I'm glad to have friends like you," beamed Thomas.

Then all the engines happily fell asleep. They were all now safe, thanks to Thomas.

The next morning, the Fat Controller came to the sheds as usual. He sent all the engines except Thomas off to work. When he and Thomas were alone, the Fat Controller spoke to him.

"Thomas, I want you to do your usual jobs today," he explained. "Then, at the end of the day, when you've finished, I have a very important job for you. I will explain when you've finished your jobs."

"Yes, Sir," smiled Thomas, and he puffed out of the sheds and off to work.

He arrived at the coach yard where Annie and Clarabel were waiting for him.

"Thomas!" Annie exclaimed happily. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"We didn't think you'd be repaired," added Clarabel.

"Well, you don't need to worry now," smiled Thomas, as he was coupled to the coaches and pulled them out of the yard. "I'm fixed and back to work."

Thoughout the day, Thomas did his branch line run. As he passed several people and engines on his travels, they all cheered for him, making him know that he was special. They were all grateful for him saving Sodor.

When sunset came, Thomas arrived at FfarquharStation with the last of the passengers. Bertie was there to take them home. He was very pleased to see his friend.

"Glad to have you back, Thomas. After you saving Sodor, I don't know what we'd do without you."

"You wouldn't be able to race, that's for sure," chuckled Thomas.

Just then, Toby steamed up behind Thomas and the coaches. The Fat Controller was on board his cab. He climbed down, walked onto the platform and up to Thomas. "Well done, Thomas. You've completed your branch line run on time. Now, it's time for you to do your important job. Leave Annie and Clarabel here. Toby will take them back to the coach yard. I want you to go to the sidings which look out to the sea. Then wait a while. Someone will then come to see you."

"Yes, Sir."

The passengers had now left the platform and were on board Bertie. "Well done, Thomas!" He called cheerfully as he started his engine and raced down the road and out of sight.

Annie and Clarabel were uncoupled from Thomas and were coupled onto Toby. "Off you go, Thomas," said Toby, and Thomas puffed away.

After rejoining the main line, Thomas crossed the island under the sinking sun. Eventually, he came to a set of points, which were leading to go to where the Fat Controller had commanded him to go, so he crossed the points and followed the line.

As he puffed along, four more lines ran alongside the one he was following; two on each side.

Finally, Thomas arrived at his destination, and stopped.

He had come to some sidings, which were on the edge of a small slope. The sidings were looking out at the sea, which reflected the colour of the evening sky, as the sun slowly sank down from the sky, soon to sink behind the horizon. The only sounds to be heard were the gentle waves and the gulls which were flying in the evening sky.

Thomas was not alone. James and Lady were in the two sidings on his left, and Percy and Rosie were in the two on his right.

"Here he is!" Percy cried to the other engines.

"What are you all doing here?" Thomas asked.

"Well," grinned James, "you had a bit of help to save Sodor, didn't you? That's why me and Percy are here."

"And I was the engine you came to for help, but got encouragement instead," added Lady.

"And I was the engine you saved from Diesel 10," smiled Rosie.

"But what are we all doing here?" asked Thomas, puzzled.

Before any of the engines could reply, the quiet of the sea was suddenly drowned out by a whirring noice. The engines instantly knew who it had come from. They looked into the sky to see Harold flying low above them. "Thomas, old chap! I have an important vistor to see you!"

He came down gently and landed beside the sidings. Then, a man dressed in black came down from him. He walked up to the engines and pointed at Thomas. "You're Thomas the Tank Engine, am I right?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"My name is David Higgins. I'm with the Sodor Gazette. I've heard from Sir Topham Hatt that you saved all the steam engines from Sodor. I'm here to take yourphotograph. Your story is going on the front page on tomorrow's issue of the Sodor Gazette."

"The front page?!" Thomas beamed excitidly.

"That's right," Higgins smiled. Then he held his hand up and gestured with it. Could you all just move back, so that I can get you all in? I understand these are the engines involved in your adventure?"

"Indeed they are," smiled Thomas, as he and the other engines backed up a little. Higgins took a camera out of his coat pocket and looked through it. "Perfect!" The camera then flashed. "Okay, thank you all," smiled Higgins. "Harold, please take me back so that I can have this picture put on the front page of the Sodor Gazette."

"No problem," replied Harold, as Higgins then climbed back on board him. Harold's blades started to turn. "Goodbye," Harold called to the engines. "And well done, Thomas! You've shown me just how brave and useful engines are!"

"Thank you, Harold!" Thomas called, then he and the engines watched as Harold took off into the sky and out of sight.

"What do you think of that, Thomas?" Percy wheesed happily. "You're going to be on the front page of the Sodor Gazette."

"You're a very special engine!" said Lady.

"Maybe," smiled Thomas modestly. "But I'm not the only special engine. You are too Lady." Thomas then looked at Percy. "So are you Percy, my best friend." Percy smiled, proud to be best friends with this special engine. "As are you, Rosie," went on Thomas. Rosie blushed shyly. She was so happy that the engine she had loved for a long time now loved her back. Thomas then looked at James. "Even you, James." At this complement, James blushed, going much redder than ever. "All of the Fat Controller's engines are special," finished Thomas.

Then the five engines watched the sunset in silence. Furthur away, Harold continued flying with David Higgins on board. Once Higgins arrived at the newspaper factory, the picture he had taken of the engines would go on the front page of the Sodor Gazette, which would have an article about how Thomas the Tank Engine worked up the courage and bravery to save the Island of Sodor from the evil Diesel 10, and proved himself to be a hero, a legend and most of all, a really useful engine.

* * *

**And that, everybody, concludes Saving Sodor. ****After all these months of thinking and writing, this is what I come out with.**

**I really hope you have enjoyed reading my first story on here. If you choose to review this chapter, I would like you to tell me your thoughts and feelings about the whole story. Please tell me what you think of it and why. Also, since this was my first long story on here, I'm not expecting it to be entirely flawless. So I will accept criticism so that I'll know where to improve. But only if you make the criticism constructive. No random flames, okay?**

**Before I conclude this message, I want to offer you a massive thank you for taking the time to read Saving Sodor. I may have been the one thinking, writing and working hard to create this story - but you, the readers, are the reason I did this. Without you, I'd have no reason to do this. So a massive thank you from me to you.**

**Well, that's all from me - until of course I write another story, which I hope you'll read and enjoy as much as I hope that you've enjoyed Saving Sodor. Thanks again for reading my first story, and I'll see you soon.**

**Cheerio!**


End file.
